In response to the article by Ivan Kausz: A discriminant and an upper bound for w 2 for hyperelliptic arithmetic surfaces

We define a natural discriminant for a hyperelliptic curve X of genus g over a field K as a canonical element of the (8g+4)th tensor power of the maximal exterior product of the vectorspace of global differential forms on X. If v is a discrete valuation on K and X has semistable reduction at v, we compute the order of vanishing of the discriminant at v in terms of the geometry of the reduction of X over v. As an application, we find an upper bound for the Arakelov self-intersection of the relative dualizing sheaf on a semistable hyperelliptic arithmetic surface.     

Singular hyperelliptic curves

Singular curves with a morphism of degree two onto a projective line should be classified into two types according as the equipped morphism is separable or not; we call a curve with a separable one a hyperelliptic curve of separable type, and the other a hyperelliptic curve of inseparable type. We give concrete expressions of a hyperelliptic curve of separable type by means of its global “equation” and a hyperelliptic curve of inseparable type by means of its local rings. Furthermore, we discuss about Weierstrass points of a hyperelliptic curve of inseparable type. Received: 26 March 1997 / Revised version: 21 May 1998     

One half log discriminant and division polynomials

Szpiro and Tucker recently proved that, under mild conditions, the valuation of the minimal discriminant of an elliptic curve with semistable reduction over a discrete valuation ring can be expressed in terms of intersections between n-torsion and 2-torsion, where n tends to infinity. The argument of Szpiro and Tucker is geometric in nature. We give a proof based on the arithmetic of division polynomials, and generalize the result to the case of hyperelliptic curves.     

Weierstrass semigroups whose minimum positive integers are even

We consider three subsets of the set of 2n-semigroups, where for a positive integer n a 2n-semigroup means a numerical semigroup whose minimum positive integer is 2n. These three subsets are obtained by the Weierstrass semigroups of total ramification points on a cyclic covering of the projective line, the Weierstrass semigroups of ramification points on a double covering of a non-singular curve and the Weierstrass semigroups of points on a non-singular curve. We show that the three subsets are different for n ≧ 3. Partially supported by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (17540046), Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. Received: 19 June 2006     

Finding rational points on bielliptic genus 2 curves

We discuss a technique for trying to find all rational points on curves of the form Y ²=f ₃ X ⁶+f ₂ X ⁴+f ₁ X ²+f ₀, where the sextic has nonzero discriminant. This is a bielliptic curve of genus 2. When the rank of the Jacobian is 0 or 1, Chabauty's Theorem may be applied. However, we shall concentrate on the situation when the rank is at least 2. In this case, we shall derive an associated family of elliptic curves, defined over a number field ℚα. If each of these elliptic curves has rank less than the degree of ℚα : ℚ, then we shall describe a Chabauty-like technique which may be applied to try to find all the points (x,y) defined over ℚα) on the elliptic curves, for which x∈ℚ. This in turn allows us to find all ℚ-rational points on the original genus 2 curve. We apply this to give a solution to a problem of Diophantus (where the sextic in X is irreducible over ℚ), which simplifies the recent solution of Wetherell. We also present two examples where the sextic in X is reducible over ℚ. Received: 27 November 1998 / Revised version: 4 June 1999     

Euler–Poincaré formula in equal characteristic¶under ordinariness assumptions

Let X be an irreducible smooth projective curve over an algebraically closed field of characteristic p>0. Let ? be either a finite field of characteristic p or a local field of residue characteristic p. Let F be a constructible étale sheaf of $\BF$-vector spaces on X. Suppose that there exists a finite Galois covering π:Y→X such that the generic monodromy of π^* F is pro-p and Y is ordinary. Under these assumptions we derive an explicit formula for the Euler–Poincaré characteristic χ(X,F) in terms of easy local and global numerical invariants, much like the formula of Grothendieck–Ogg–Shafarevich in the case of different characteristic. Although the ordinariness assumption imposes severe restrictions on the local ramification of the covering π, it is satisfied in interesting cases such as Drinfeld modular curves. Received: 7 December 1999 / Revised version: 28 January 2000     

Explicit Mumford isomorphism for hyperelliptic curves

Using an explicit version of the Mumford isomorphism on the moduli space of hyperelliptic curves we derive a closed formula for the Arakelov-Green function of a hyperelliptic Riemann surface evaluated at its Weierstrass points.     

Automorphisms of curves fixing the order two points of the Jacobian

Let X be an irreducible smooth projective curve, of genus at least two, defined over an algebraically closed field of characteristic different from two. If X admits a nontrivial automorphism σ that fixes pointwise all the order two points of Pic⁰(X), then we prove that X is hyperelliptic with σ being the unique hyperelliptic involution. As a corollary, if a nontrivial automorphisms of X fixes pointwise all the theta characteristics on X, then X is hyperelliptic with being its hyperelliptic involution.      

Parabolic Raynaud bundles

Let X be an irreducible smooth projective curve defined over the field of complex numbers, a finite set of closed points and N ≥ 2 a fixed integer. For any pair , there exists a parabolic vector bundle on X, with parabolic structure over S and all parabolic weights in , that has the following property: Take any parabolic vector bundle of rank r on X whose parabolic points are contained in S, all the parabolic weights are in and the parabolic degree is d. Then is parabolically semistable if and only if there is no nonzero parabolic homomorphism from to .     

Rational torsion of J0(N) for hyperelliptic modular curves and families of Jacobians of genus 2 and genus 3 curves with a rational point of order 5,7 or 10

We describe a way of constructing Jacobians of hyperelliptic curves of genus g ≥ 2, defined over a number field, whose Jacobians have a rational point of order of some (well chosen) integer l ≥ g + 1; the method is based on a polynomial identity. Using this approach we construct new families of genus 2 curves defined over — which contain the modular curves X₀(31) (and X₀(22) as a by-product) and X₀(29), the Jacobians of which have a rational point of order 5 and 7 respectively. We also construct a new family of hyperelliptic genus 3 curves defined over —, which contains the modular curve X₀(41), the Jacobians of which have a rational point of order 10. Finally we show that all hyperelliptic modular curves X₀(N) with N a prime number fit into the described strategy, except for N = 37 in which case we give another explanation. The authors thank the FNR (project FNR/04/MA6/11) for their support.     

Higher syzygies of hyperelliptic curves

Let X be a hyperelliptic curve of arithmetic genus g and let f:X→P¹ be the hyperelliptic involution map of X. In this paper we study higher syzygies of linearly normal embeddings of X of degree d≤2g. Note that the minimal free resolution of X of degree ≥2g+1 is already completely known. Let A=f^∗O_P¹(1), and let L be a very ample line bundle on X of degree d≤2g. For , we call the pair (m,d−2m)the factorization type ofL. Our main result is that the Hartshorne-Rao module and the graded Betti numbers of the linearly normal curve embedded by |L| are precisely determined by the factorization type of L.     

Indices of hyperelliptic curves over p-adic fields

Let k be a p-adic field of odd residue characteristic and let C be a hyperelliptic (or elliptic) curve defined by the affine equation Y ²=h(X). We discuss the index of C if h(X)=ɛf(X), where ɛ is either a non-square unit or a uniformising element in O _k and f(X) a monic, irreducible polynomial with integral coefficients. If a root θ of f generates an extension k(θ) with ramification index a power of 2, we completely determine the index of C in terms of data associated to θ. Theorem 3.11 summarizes our results and provides an algorithm to calculate the index for such curves C. Received: 14 July 1997 / Revised version: 16 February 1998     

A characterization of hyperelliptic Jacobians

In this paper we will prove a criterion for hyperelliptic Jacobians. LetD be a translation invariant vector field on an indecompssable principally polarized abelian variety (i.p.p.a.v.) (X, Θ), letDΘ be the divisor of the sectionDΘ∈H ⁰ (Θ,O(Θ)|Θ). We have that (X, Θ) is the Jacobian of an hyperelliptic curve iff (Theorem 1) all the component ofDΘ are non reduced and the singular locus of Θ has dimension less thang-2. We will prove our theorem by showing that under the above geometrical condition it is possible to construct a Kodomcev-Petviashvili (K.P.) equation which is satisfied by the theta function corresponding to the principal polarization onX.     

On projectively normal embeddings of generalk-gonal curves

Fix integersg, k andt witht>0,k≥3 andtk<g/2−1. LetX be a generalk-gonal curve of genusg andR∈Pic ^k (X) the uniqueg _k ¹ onX. SetL:=K _X⊗(R ^*)^⊗t.L is very ample. Leth _L:X→P(H ⁰(X, L)^*) be the associated embedding. Here we prove thath _L(X) is projectively normal. Ifk≥4 andtk<g/2−2 the curveh _L(X) is scheme-theoretically cut out by quadrics. The author was partially supported by MURST and GNSAGA of CNR (Italy).     

Counting hyperelliptic curves

We find a closed formula for the number hyp(g) of hyperelliptic curves of genus g over a finite field k=Fq of odd characteristic. These numbers hyp(g) are expressed as a polynomial in q with integer coefficients that depend on g and the set of divisors of q−1 and q+1. As a by-product we obtain a closed formula for the number of self-dual curves of genus g. A hyperelliptic curve is defined to be self-dual if it is k-isomorphic to its own hyperelliptic twist.     

A criterion for the strongly semistable principal bundles over a curve in positive characteristic

Let X be an irreducible smooth projective curve over an algebraically closed field k of positive characteristic and G a simple linear algebraic group over k. Fix a proper parabolic subgroup P of G and a nontrivial anti-dominant character λ of P. Given a principal G-bundle E_G over X, let E_G(λ) be the line bundle over E_G/P associated to the principal P-bundle E_G→E_G/P for the character λ. We prove that E_G is strongly semistable if and only if the line bundle E_G(λ) is numerically effective. For any connected reductive algebraic group H over k, a similar criterion is proved for strongly semistable H-bundles.     

Relative Gromov-Witten invariants and the mirror formula

Let X be a smooth complex projective variety, and let be a smooth very ample hypersurface such that is nef. Using the technique of relative Gromov-Witten invariants, we give a new short and geometric proof of (a version of) the “mirror formula”, i.e. we show that the generating function of the genus zero 1-point Gromov-Witten invariants of Y can be obtained from that of X by a certain change of variables (the so-called “mirror transformation”). Moreover, we use the same techniques to give a similar expression for the (virtual) numbers of degree-d plane rational curves meeting a smooth cubic at one point with multiplicity 3d, which play a role in local mirror symmetry. Received: 11 July 2001 / Published online: 4 February 2003 Funded by the DFG scholarships Ga 636/1–1 and Ga 636/1–2.     

Linear series computing the Clifford index of a projective curve

For a (smooth irreducible) curveC of genus g and Clifford indexc>2 with a linear seriesg _d ^r computing c (so ) it is well known thatc + 2 ≤d ≤2 (c + 2), and if then 2c + 1 ≤g ≤ 2c + 4 unlessd = 2c + 4 in which caseg = 2c + 5. Let c ≥ 0 andg be integers. If 2c + 1 ≤g ≤2c + 4 we prove that for any integerd <g such thatd ≡c mod 2 andc + 2 ≤d < 2(c + 2) there exists a curve of genus g and Clifford index c with a g_d ^r computing c. Ford ≥c + 6 (i.e.r ≥ 3) we construct this curve on a surface of degree 2r-2 in ℙ^r, and ford ≥c + 8 (i.e.r ≥ 4) we show that such a curve cannot be found on a surface in ℙ^r of smaller degree. In fact, if g_d ^r computes the Clifford index c of C such thatc + 8 ≤d ≤ 2c + 3 then the birational morphism defined by this series cannot map C onto a (maybe, singular) curve contained in a surface of degree at most 2r-3 in ℙ^r.