arXiv subjects

Rachel Pries

Publications and source records attributed to Rachel Pries.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2013

Generic Newton polygons for curves of given p-rank

We survey results and open questions about the $p$-ranks and Newton polygons of Jacobians of curves in positive characteristic $p$. We prove some geometric results about the $p$-rank stratification of the moduli space of (hyperelliptic) curves. For example, if $0 \leq f \leq g-1$, we prove that every component of the $p$-rank $f+1$ stratum of ${\mathcal M}_g$ contains a component of the $p$-rank $f$ stratum in its closure. We prove that the $p$-rank $f$ stratum of $\overline{\mathcal M}_g$ is connected. For all primes $p$ and all $g \geq 4$, we demonstrate the existence of a Jacobian of a smooth curve, defined over $\overline{\mathbb F}_p$, whose Newton polygon has slopes $\{0, \frac{1}{4}, \frac{3}{4}, 1\}$. We include partial results about the generic Newton polygons of curves of given genus $g$ and $p$-rank $f$.

math.NT↗

arXiv2013

The Ekedahl-Oort type of Jacobians of Hermitian curves

The Ekedahl-Oort type is a combinatorial invariant of a principally polarized abelian variety $A$ defined over an algebraically closed field of characteristic $p > 0$. It characterizes the $p$-torsion group scheme of $A$ up to isomorphism. Equivalently, it characterizes (the mod $p$ reduction of) the Dieudonné module of $A$ or the de Rham cohomology of $A$ as modules under the Frobenius and Vershiebung operators. There are very few results about which Ekedahl-Oort types occur for Jacobians of curves. In this paper, we consider the class of Hermitian curves, indexed by a prime power $q=p^n$, which are supersingular curves well-known for their exceptional arithmetic properties. We determine the Ekedahl-Oort types of the Jacobians of all Hermitian curves. An interesting feature is that their indecomposable factors are determined by the orbits of the multiplication-by-two map on ${\mathbb Z}/(2^n+1)$, and thus do not depend on $p$. This yields applications about the decomposition of the Jacobians of Hermitian curves up to isomorphism.

math.NT↗

arXiv2013

Newton polygons for a variant of the Kloosterman family

We study the p-adic valuations of roots of L-functions associated with certain families of exponential sums of Laurent polynomials in n variables over a finite field. The families we consider are reflection and Kloosterman variants of diagonal polynomials. Using decomposition theorems of Wan, we determine the Newton and Hodge polygons of a non-degenerate Laurent polynomial in one of these families.

math.NT↗

arXiv2012

The Automorphism Groups of a Family of Maximal Curves

The Hasse Weil bound restricts the number of points of a curve which are defined over a finite field; if the number of points meets this bound, the curve is called maximal. Giulietti and Korchmaros introduced a curve C_3 which is maximal over F_{q^6} and determined its automorphism group. Garcia, Guneri, and Stichtenoth generalized this construction to a family of curves C_n, indexed by an odd integer n greater than or equal to 3, such that C_n is maximal over F_{q^{2n}}. In this paper, we determine the automorphism group Aut(C_n) when n > 3; in contrast with the case n=3, it fixes the point at infinity on C_n. The proof requires a new structural result about automorphism groups of curves in characteristic p such that each Sylow p-subgroup has exactly one fixed point. MSC:11G20, 14H37.

math.NT↗

arXiv2012

Families of Artin-Schreier curves with Cartier-Manin matrix of constant rank

Let k be an algebraically closed field of characteristic p > 0. Every Artin-Schreier k-curve X has an equation of the form y^p - y = f(x) for some f(x) in k(x) such that p does not divide the least common multiple L of the orders of the poles of f(x). Under the condition that p is congruent to 1 mod L, Zhu proved that the Newton polygon of the L-function of X is determined by the Hodge polygon of f(x). In particular, the Newton polygon depends only on the orders of the poles of f(x) and not on the location of the poles or otherwise on the coefficients of f(x). In this paper, we prove an analogous result about the a-number of the p-torsion group scheme of the Jacobian of X, providing the first non-trivial examples of families of Jacobians with constant a-number. Equivalently, we consider the semi-linear Cartier operator on the sheaf of regular 1-forms of X and provide the first non-trivial examples of families of curves whose Cartier-Manin matrix has constant rank.

math.NT↗

arXiv2011

The a-numbers of Jacobians of Suzuki curves

For $m \in {\mathbb N}$, let $S_m$ be the Suzuki curve defined over ${\mathbb F}_{2^{2m+1}}$. It is well-known that $S_m$ is supersingular, but the p-torsion group scheme of its Jacobian is not known. The a-number is an invariant of the isomorphism class of the p-torsion group scheme. In this paper, we compute a closed formula for the a-number of $S_m$ using the action of the Cartier operator on $H^0(S_m,Ω^1)$.

math.NT↗

arXiv2010

The p-rank stratification of Artin-Schreier curves

We study a moduli space AS_g for Artin-Schreier curves of genus g over an algebraically closed field k of characteristic p. We study the stratification of AS_g by p-rank into strata AS_{g,s} of Artin-Schreier curves of genus g with p-rank exactly s. We enumerate the irreducible components of AS_{g,s} and find their dimensions. As an application, when p=2, we prove that every irreducible component of the moduli space of hyperelliptic k-curves with genus g and 2-rank s has dimension g-1+s. We also determine all pairs (p,g) for which AS_g is irreducible. Finally, we study deformations of Artin-Schreier curves with varying p-rank. Keywords: Artin-Schreier, hyperelliptic, curve, moduli, p-rank.

math.NT↗

arXiv2010

Ekedahl-Oort strata of hyperelliptic curves in characteristic 2

Suppose $X$ is a hyperelliptic curve of genus $g$ defined over an algebraically closed field $k$ of characteristic $p=2$. We prove that the de Rham cohomology of $X$ decomposes into pieces indexed by the branch points of the hyperelliptic cover. This allows us to compute the isomorphism class of the $2$-torsion group scheme $J_X[2]$ of the Jacobian of $X$ in terms of the Ekedahl-Oort type. The interesting feature is that $J_X[2]$ depends only on some discrete invariants of $X$, namely, on the ramification invariants associated with the branch points. We give a complete classification of the group schemes which occur as the $2$-torsion group schemes of Jacobians of hyperelliptic $k$-curves of arbitrary genus.

math.AG↗

arXiv2010

A survey of Galois theory of curves in characteristic p

This survey is about Galois theory of curves in characteristic p, a topic which has inspired major research in algebraic geometry and number theory and which contains many open questions. We illustrate important phenomena which occur for covers of curves in characteristic p. We explain key results on the structure of fundamental groups. We end by describing areas of active research and giving two new results about the genus and p-rank of certain covers of the affine line.

math.AG↗

arXiv2010

Alternating group covers of the affine line

We prove Abhyankar's Inertia Conjecture for the alternating group A_{p+2} on p+2 letters when p = 2 mod 3, by showing that every possible inertia group occurs for a (wildly ramified) A_{p+2}-Galois cover of the projective k-line branched only at infinity where k is an algebraically closed field of characteristic p > 0. More generally, when 1 < s < p and gcd(p-1, s+1)=1, we prove that all but finitely many rational numbers which satisfy the obvious necessary conditions occur as the upper jump in the filtration of higher ramification groups of an A_{p+s}-Galois cover of the projective line branched only at infinity.

math.NT↗

arXiv2010

Semi-direct Galois covers of the affine line

Let $k$ be an algebraically closed field of characteristic $p>0$. Let $G$ be $Z/\ell Z$ semi-direct product $Z/pZ$ where $\ell$ is a prime distinct from $p$. In this paper, we study Galois covers $ψ:Z \to P^1_k$ ramified only over $\infty$ with Galois group $G$. We find the minimal genus of a curve $Z$ that admits such a cover and show that it depends only on $\ell$, $p$, and the order $a$ of $\ell$ modulo $p$. We also prove that the number of curves $Z$ of this minimal genus which admit such a cover is at most $(p-1)/a$.

math.NT↗

arXiv2009

The p-rank strata of the moduli space of hyperelliptic curves

We prove results about the intersection of the p-rank strata and the boundary of the moduli space of hyperelliptic curves in characteristic p > 2. Using this, we prove that the Z/\ell-monodromy of every irreducible component of the stratum H_g^f of hyperelliptic curves of genus g and p-rank f is the symplectic group Sp_{2g}(Z/\ell) if g > 2, f > 0 and \ell is an odd prime distinct from p. These results yield applications about the generic behavior of hyperelliptic curves of given genus and p-rank. The first application is that a generic hyperelliptic curve of genus g > 2 and p-rank 0 is not supersingular. Other applications are about absolutely simple Jacobians and the generic behavior of class groups and zeta functions of hyperelliptic curves of given genus and $p$-rank over finite fields.

math.AG↗

arXiv2009

Wild cyclic-by-tame extensions

Suppose G is a semi-direct product of the form Z/p^n \rtimes Z/m where p is prime and m is relatively prime to p. Suppose K is a local field of characteristic p > 0. The main result states necessary and sufficient conditions on the ramification filtrations that occur for wildly ramified G-Galois extensions of K. In addition, we prove that there exists a parameter space for G-Galois extensions of K with given ramification filtration whose dimension depends only on the ramification filtration. We provide explicit equations for wild cyclic extensions of K of degree p^3.

math.NT↗

arXiv2008

The p-torsion of curves with large p-rank

Consider the locus of smooth curves of genus g and p-rank f defined over an algebraically closed field k of characteristic p. It is an open problem to classify which group schemes occur as the p-torsion of the Jacobians of these curves for f < g-1. We prove that the generic point of this locus has a-number 1 when f=g-2 and f=g-3. We include other results for curves with p-rank g-2 and g-3. For example, we show that the generic hyperelliptic curve with p-rank g-2 has a-number 1 and that the locus of curves with p-rank g-2 and a-number 2 is non-empty with codimension 3 in M_g. The proofs use degeneration to the boundary of M_g.

math.AG↗

arXiv2008

Monodromy of the p-rank strata of the moduli space of curves

We compute the Z/\ell and \ell-adic monodromy of every irreducible component of the moduli space M_g^f of curves of genus and and p-rank f. In particular, we prove that the Z/\ell-monodromy of every component of M_g^f is the symplectic group Sp_{2g}(Z/\ell) if g>=3 and \ell is a prime distinct from p. We give applications to the generic behavior of automorphism groups, Jacobians, class groups, and zeta functions of curves of given genus and p-rank.

math.NT↗

arXiv2007

Curves of given $p$-rank with trivial automorphism group

Let $k$ be an algebraically closed field of characteristic $p >0$. Suppose $g \geq 3$ and $0 \leq f \leq g$. We prove there is a smooth projective $k$-curve of genus $g$ and $p$-rank $f$ with no non-trivial automorphisms. In addition, we prove there is a smooth projective hyperelliptic $k$-curve of genus $g$ and $p$-rank $f$ whose only non-trivial automorphism is the hyperelliptic involution. The proof involves computations about the dimension of the moduli space of (hyperelliptic) $k$-curves of genus $g$ and $p$-rank $f$ with extra automorphisms.

math.NT↗

arXiv2006

A short guide to p-torsion of abelian varieties in characteristic p

There are many equivalent ways to describe the p-torsion of a principally polarized abelian variety in characteristic p. We briefly explain these methods and then illustrate them for abelian varieties A of arbitrary dimension g in several important cases, including when A has p-rank f and a-number 1 and when A has p-rank f and a-number g-f. We provide complete tables for abelian varieties of dimension up to four.

math.NT↗

arXiv2006

The integral monodromy of hyperelliptic and trielliptic curves

We compute the $\integ/\ell$ and $\integ_\ell$ monodromy of every irreducible component of the moduli spaces of hyperelliptic and trielliptic curves. In particular, we provide a proof that the $\integ/\ell$ monodromy of the moduli space of hyperelliptic curves of genus $g$ is the symplectic group $\sp_{2g}(\integ/\ell)$. We prove that the $\integ/\ell$ monodromy of the moduli space of trielliptic curves with signature $(r,s)$ is the special unitary group $\su_{(r,s)}(\integ/\ell\tensor\integ[ζ_3])$.

math.AG↗