Continuous Linear Series

We parameterize by a fine moduli space all degenerations of linear series to a singular curve which is the union of two smooth components meeting transversally at a single point. For this we introduce a novel object in the study of degenerations of linear series, which is the continuous linear series. Our moduli space can be regarded as a Hilbert quotient, in the terminology introduced by Kapranov, and is a new compactification of Osserman moduli space of exact limit linear series, and consequently, of Eisenbud and Harris moduli space of refined limit linear series on the curve.