Curves of genus 2 with group of automorphisms isomorphic to or

The classification of curves of genus 2 over an algebraically closed field was studied by Clebsch and Bolza using invariants of binary sextic forms, and completed by Igusa with the computation of the corresponding three-dimensional moduli variety . The locus of curves with group of automorphisms isomorphic to one of the dihedral groups or is a one-dimensional subvariety.

In this paper we classify these curves over an arbitrary perfect field of characteristic in the case and in the case. We first parameterize the -isomorphism classes of curves defined over by the -rational points of a quasi-affine one-dimensional subvariety of ; then, for every curve representing a point in that variety we compute all of its -twists, which is equivalent to the computation of the cohomology set .

The classification is always performed by explicitly describing the objects involved: the curves are given by hyperelliptic models and their groups of automorphisms represented as subgroups of . In particular, we give two generic hyperelliptic equations, depending on several parameters of , that by specialization produce all curves in every -isomorphism class.