Irregularity of certain algebraic fiber spaces

Let X, Y be smooth complex projective varieties, and be a fiber space whose general fiber is a curve of genus g. Denote by q _f the relative irregularity of f. It is proved that , if f is not generically trivial; moreover, if either a) f is non-constant and the general fiber is either hyperelliptic or bielliptic or b) q(Y)= 0, then , and the bound is best possible. A classification of fiber surfaces of genus 3 with q _f = 2 is also given in this note. Received: 19 March 1997 / Revised version: 29 October 1997