Connecting p-gonal loci in the compactification of moduli space

• Consider the moduli space M g of Riemann surfaces of genusg≥2 and its Deligne-Munford compactification M g ¯ . We are interested in the branch locus B g for g>2 , i.e., the subset of M g consisting of surfaces with automorphisms. It is well-known that the set of hyperelliptic surfaces (the hyperelliptic locus) is connected in M g but the set of (cyclic) trigonal surfaces is not. By contrast, we show that for g≥5 the set of (cyclic) trigonal surfaces is connected in M g ¯ . To do so we exhibit an explicit nodal surface that lies in the completion of every equisymmetric set of 3-gonal Riemann surfaces. For p>3 the connectivity of the p -gonal loci becomes more involved. We show that for p≥11 prime and genus g=p−1 there are one-dimensional strata of cyclic p -gonal surfaces that are completely isolated in the completion B g ¯ of the branch locus in M g ¯ .

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Matematik -- Geometri (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Mathematics -- Geometry (hsv//eng)

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)