Smoothing of Limit Linear Series of Rank One on Saturated Metrized   Complexes of Algebraic Curves
  We investigate the smoothing problem of limit linear series of rank one on an enrichment of the notions of nodal curves and metrized complexes called saturated metrized complexes. We give a finitely verifiable full criterion for smoothability of a limit linear series of rank one on saturared metrized complexes, characterize the space of all such smoothings, and extend the criterion to metrized complexes. As applications, we prove that all limit linear series of rank one are smoothable on saturated metrized complexes corresponding to curves of compact-type, and prove an analogue for saturated metrized complexes of a theorem of Harris and Mumford on the characterization of nodal curves contained in a given gonality stratum. In addition, we give a full combinatorial criterion for smoothable limit linear series of rank one on saturated metrized complexes corresponding to nodal curves whose dual graphs are made of separate loops. 
Ye Luo and Madhusudan Manjunath
math.AG math.CO math.NT