Let $X$ be a reduced projective scheme over $k$ which is of pure dimension 1. Let $\pi: X \to \mathbb{P}_k^1$ be a finite (hence affine, surjective and flat) morphism of schemes having degree $n$. Since $X$ is Cohen-Macaulay, $\pi_*\mathcal{O}_X$ is a free $\mathcal{O}_{\mathbb{P}_k^1}$-module of finite rank $n$ and hence decomposes into a direct sum of Serre's twisted sheaves: $$ \pi_*\mathcal{O}_X \cong \bigoplus_{i=1}^n \mathcal{O}_{\mathbb{P}_k^1}(|\mathcal{O}_X|_i) $$ The integers $|\mathcal{O}_X|_1 \geq \ldots \geq |\mathcal{O}_X|_n$ are uniquely determined by $\mathcal{O}_X$. Now we have a similar situation for the structure sheaf of any irreducible component $X_i$ of $X$: The closed immersion $j_i: X_i \to X$ is a finite morphism and hence $\pi_i = \pi \circ j_i: X_i \to X \to \mathbb{P}_k^1$ is also finite of degree $n_i < n$ if $X_i \neq X$. Hence $$ (\pi_i)_*\mathcal{O}_{X_i} \cong \pi_* ((j_i)_* \mathcal{O}_{X_i}) \cong \pi_* (\mathcal{O}_X / \mathcal{I}_i) \cong \bigoplus_{j=1}^{n_i} \mathcal{O}_{\mathbb{P}_k^1}(|\mathcal{O}_{X_i}|_j) $$ where $\mathcal{I}_{X_i}$ denotes the ideal sheaf cutting out $X_i$ in $X$.
Since $X$ is reduced, we have a finite morphism $X' = \bigoplus_{i=1}^m X'_i \to X$ where $X'$ is the normalization of $X$ (and $X_i'$ is the normalization of the component $X_i$) and a corresponding injective morphism $\mathcal{O}_X \hookrightarrow \bigoplus_{i=1}^n \mathcal{O}_{X_i}/\mathcal{I}_i$ with finite index $\chi(\mathcal{S})$ where $\mathcal{S}$ makes the following sequence exact $$ 0 \to \mathcal{O}_X \hookrightarrow \bigoplus_{i=1}^n \mathcal{O}_{X_i}/\mathcal{I}_i \to \mathcal{S} \to 0. $$ It is not hard to see that $$ \pi_* \mathcal{O}_X \hookrightarrow \pi_*\left( \bigoplus_{i=1}^n \mathcal{O}_{X_i}/\mathcal{I}_i\right) \cong \bigoplus_{i=1}^{m} \bigoplus_{j=1}^{n_i} \mathcal{O}_{\mathbb{P}_k^1}(|\mathcal{O}_{X_i}|_j). $$
My question is: What are the relations between $L_{X'} := (|\mathcal{O}_{X_i}|_j)_{i,j}$ and $L_X := (|\mathcal{O}_{X}|_\ell)_\ell$ both arranged in descending order? To be more specific: Does $$ L_{X'}[i] - L_X[i] \in O\left( \frac{\chi(\mathcal{S})}{n}\right) $$ hold, i.e. are the differences balanced. Does someone know a good read for this kind of situations or any references at all? Any good idea is also welcome.
What I do know so far:
- $L_{X} \leq L_{X'}$, that is for all $i=1,\ldots,n : L_{X}[i] \leq L_{X'}[i]$,
- $\sum_{\ell=1}^n |\mathcal{O}_{X}|_\ell = \chi(\mathcal{O}_X) -n$,
- $\sum_{i,j} |\mathcal{O}_{X_i}|_j = \sum_{i=1}^m (\chi(\mathcal{O}_{X_i}) -n_i) = \chi(\mathcal{O}_X) + \chi(\mathcal{S}) -n$
- Combining 2. and 3. we have: $\sum_{i=1}^n L_{X'}[i] - L_X[i] = \chi(\mathcal{S})$.