Surfaces with \(K^2<3_{\chi}\) and finite fundamental group (Q2474610): Difference between revisions

Let \(S\) be a smooth minimal complex surface of general type. \textit{M. Reid} [in: Algebraic geometry, Proc. Summer Meet., Copenh., 1978, Lect. Notes Math. 732, 534--544 (1979; Zbl 0423.14021)], has conjectured that for \(K^2<4\chi\) the algebraic fundamental group of \(S\) is either finite or it is commensurable with the fundamental group of a curve, i.e. there exists a finite unramified cover \(X\) of \(S\) and a fibration \(f: X \to C\) onto a smooth curve such that the kernel of the surjective homomorphism \(\pi_{1}^{alg}(X)\to \pi_{1}^{alg}(C)\) is a finite group. In the case of irregular surfaces or of regular surfaces having an irre\-gular étale cover, Reid's conjecture follows from the Severi inequality, recently proved by \textit{R. Pardini} [Invent. Math. 159, No. 3, 669--672 (2005; Zbl 1082.14041)], which states that the Albanese map of an irregular surface with \(K^2<4\chi\) is a pencil. Reid's conjecture is still open for surfaces not having an irregular cover, however it is true for surfaces satisfying \(K^2<3\chi\) as proved by Reid [loc. cit.] and \textit{E. Horikawa} [J. Fac. Sci., Univ. Tokyo, Sect. I A 28, 745--755 (1981; Zbl 0505.14028)]. The paper under review is about the algebraic fundamental group \(\pi_{1}^{alg}(S)\) of minimal surfaces of general type \(S\) with \(K_S^2= 3\chi(S)-1\). The authors prove that if \(| \pi_{1}^{alg}(S)| =8\), then \(S\) is a Campedelli surface. In view of the results of \textit{M. Mendes Lopes} and \textit{R. Pardini} [J. Differ. Geom. 77, No. 2, 189--199 (2007; Zbl 1143.14032)] and [``Algebraic geometry and Topology'', Suurikaiseki kenkyusho Koukyuuroku, No. 1490, 69--75 (2006)], this implies that the algebraic fundamental group of a surface with \(K^2<3\chi\) that has no irregular étale cover has order at most 9, and if it has order 8 or 9, then \(S\) is a Campedelli surface. In order to get the proof, the authors, using Castelnuovo's theory, establish some classification results for minimal surfaces of general type such that \(K^2=3p_g-5\) and such that the canonical map is a birational morphism. They also study canonical double planes with a free \(\mathbb{Z}_2^3\)-action.