Separating semigroup of hyperelliptic curves and of genus 3 curves

Abstract

A rational function on a real algebraic curve $C$ is called separating if it takes real values only at real points. Such a function defines a covering $\Bbb R C\to\Bbb{RP}^1$. Let $A_1,\dots,A_n$ be connected components of $C$. In a recent paper M. Kummer and K. Shaw defined the separating semigroup of $C$ as the set of all sequences $(d_1(f),\dots,d_n(f))$ where $f$ is a separating function and $d_i(f)$ is the degree of the restriction of $f$ to $A_i$. We describe the separating semigroup for hyperelliptic curves and for genus 3 curves.