A necessary and sufficient condition for lifting the hyperelliptic involution

Let denote a Riemann surface which possesses a fixed point free group of automorphisms with a hyperelliptic orbit space. A criterion is proved which determines whether the hyperelliptic involution lifts to an automorphism of Necessary and sufficient conditions are stated which determine when a lift of the hyperelliptic involution is fixed point free. A complete determination is made of the abelian groups which may arise as automorphism groups of surfaces which possess a fixed point free lift.