Components of the Hilbert Scheme of smooth projective curves using ruled surfaces

Abstract: Let $\mathcal{I}{d,g,r}$ be the union of irreducible components of the Hilbert scheme whose general points correspond to smooth irreducible non-degenerate curves of degree $d$ and genus $g$ in $\mathbb{P}^r$. We use families of curves on cones to show that under certain numerical assumptions for $d$, $g$ and $r$, the scheme $\mathcal{I}{d,g,r}$ acquires generically smooth components whose general points correspond to curves that are double covers of irrational curves. In particular, in the case $\rho(d,g,r) := g-(r+1)(g-d+r) \geq 0$ we construct explicitly a regular component that is different from the distinguished component of $\mathcal{I}_{d,g,r}$ dominating the moduli space $\mathcal{M}_g$.