Let V be a smooth quasi-projective complex surface such that the first three logarithmic plurigenera $\overline P_1(V)$, $\overline P_2(V)$ and $\overline P_3(V)$ are equal to 1 and the logarithmic irregularity $\overline q(V)$ is equal to $2$. We prove that the quasi-Albanese morphism $a_V\colon V\to A(V)$ is birational and there exists a finite set S such that $a_V$ is proper over $A(V)\setminus S$, thus giving a sharp effective version of a classical result of Iitaka [12].

Let $X$ be a normal complex projective variety, $T\subseteq X$ a subvariety of dimension $m$ (possibly $T=X$) and $a:X\rightarrow A$ a morphism to an abelian variety such that $\text{Pic}^{0}(A)$ injects into $\text{Pic}^{0}(T)$; let $L$ be a line bundle on $X$ and $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}\in \text{Pic}^{0}(A)$ a general element.

We introduce two new ingredients for the study of linear systems on $X$. First of all, we show the existence of a factorization of the map $a$, called the eventual map of $L$ on $T$, which controls the behavior of the linear systems $|L\otimes \unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}|_{|T}$, asymptotically with respect to the pullbacks to the connected étale covers $X^{(d)}\rightarrow X$ induced by the $d$-th multiplication map of $A$.

Second, we define the so-called continuous rank function$x\mapsto h_{a}^{0}(X_{|T},L+xM)$, where $M$ is the pullback of an ample divisor of $A$. This function extends to a continuous function of $x\in \mathbb{R}$, which is differentiable except possibly at countably many points; when $X=T$ we compute the left derivative explicitly.

As an application, we give quick short proofs of a wide range of new Clifford–Severi inequalities, i.e., geographical bounds of the form

$$\begin{eqnarray}\displaystyle \text{vol}_{X|T}(L)\geqslant C(m)h_{a}^{0}(X_{|T},L), & & \displaystyle \nonumber\end{eqnarray}$$

$C(m)={\mathcal{O}}(m!)$

$X$

$L$

$a$

We classify log-canonical pairs $(X,{\rm\Delta})$ of dimension two such that $K_{X}+{\rm\Delta}$ is an ample Cartier divisor with $(K_{X}+{\rm\Delta})^{2}=1$, giving some applications to stable surfaces with $K^{2}=1$. A rough classification is also given in the case where ${\rm\Delta}=0$.

An abelian cover is a finite morphism X→Y of varieties which is the quotient map for a generically faithful action of a finite abelian group G. Abelian covers with Y smooth and X normal were studied in [R. Pardini, Abelian covers of algebraic varieties, J. Reine Angew. Math. 417 (1991), 191–213; MR 1103912(92g:14012)]. Here we study the non-normal case, assuming that X and Y are S2 varieties that have at worst normal crossings outside a subset of codimension greater than or equal to two. Special attention is paid to the case of ℤr2-covers of surfaces, which is used in [V. Alexeev and R. Pardini, Explicit compactifications of moduli spaces of Campedelli and Burniat surfaces, Preprint (2009), math.AG/arXiv:0901.4431] to construct explicitly compactifications of some components of the moduli space of surfaces of general type.

Minimal complex surfaces of general type with $p_g = 0$ and $K^2 = 7$ or $8$ whose bicanonical map is not birational are studied. It is shown that if $S$ is such a surface, then the bicanonical map has degree 2 (see Bulletin of the London Mathematical Society 33 (2001) 1–10) and there is a fibration $f : S \rightarrow {\bb P}^1$such that (i) the general fibre $F$ of $f$ is a genus 3 hyperelliptic curve; (ii) the involution induced by the bicanonical map of $S$ restricts to the hyperelliptic involution of $F$.

Furthermore, if $K^2_S = 8$, then $f$ is an isotrivial fibration with six double fibres, and if $K^2_S = 7$, then $f$ has five double fibres and it has precisely one fibre with reducible support, consisting of two components.

A minimal surface of general type with pg(S) = 0 satisfies 1 [les ] K2 [les ] 9, and it is known that the image of the bicanonical map φ is a surface for K2S [ges ] 2, whilst for K2S [ges ] 5, the bicanonical map is always a morphism. In this paper it is shown that φ is birational if K2S = 9, and that the degree of φ is at most 2 if K2S = 7 or K2S = 8.

By presenting two examples of surfaces S with K2S = 7 and 8 and bicanonical map of degree 2, it is also shown that this result is sharp. The example with K2S = 8 is, to our knowledge, a new example of a surface of general type with pg = 0.

The degree of φ is also calculated for two other known surfaces of general type with pg = 0 and K2S = 8. In both cases, the bicanonical map turns out to be birational.

We classify minimal irregular surfaces of general type X with Kx ample and such that the canonical map is 2-to-l onto a canonically embedded surface.