A Néron model of the universal Jacobian (Q2077205)

Consider the moduli stack \(\mathcal{M}_{g,n}\) of genus \(g\) curves with \(n\) marked points and denote its Deligne-Mumford compactification by \(\overline{\mathcal{M}}_{g,n}\). In the article under review, the author's main result establishes existence, as an algebraic space, of a universal Neron model admitting morphism for \(\overline{\mathcal{M}}_{g,n}\). The author is motivated by the problem of extending sections of the universal Jacobian \(\mathcal{J}_{g,n}\) to the universal semi-abelian scheme \(\mathcal{J}^0_{g,n}\) over \(\overline{\mathcal{M}}_{g,n}\). In particular, the author constructs a regular integral stack \(\widetilde{\mathcal{M}}_{g,n}\) together with a separated representable map \[\widetilde{\mathcal{M}}_{g,n} \rightarrow \overline{\mathcal{M}}_{g,n}\text{,}\] which is locally of finite presentation and which has the following three properties: (i) the structure morphism \(\widetilde{\mathcal{M}}_{g,n} \rightarrow \overline{\mathcal{M}}_{g,n}\) is an isomorphism over \(\mathcal{M}_{g,n}\); (ii) the universal Jacobian \(\mathcal{J}_{g,n}\) of the universal curve of \(\mathcal{M}_{g,n}\) admits a Neron model over \(\widetilde{\mathcal{M}}_{g,n}\); and (iii) if \(t \colon T \rightarrow \overline{\mathcal{M}}_{g,n}\) is a morphism which is such that \(t^* \mathcal{J}_{g,n}\) admits a Neron model over \(T\), then the map \(t\) factors uniquely via the structure morphism \(\widetilde{\mathcal{M}}_{g,n} \rightarrow \overline{\mathcal{M}}_{g,n}\). A key point in the author's proof of this result is the concept of aligned prestable curve and its relation to the question of existence of Neron models for Jacobians. The author's approach builds on his previous work \textit{D. Holmes} [J. Reine Angew. Math. 747, 109--145 (2019; Zbl 1423.14203)] and the author explains how it fits into the related work of \textit{L. Caporaso} [Am. J. Math. 130, No. 1, 1--47 (2008; Zbl 1155.14023)] and others. Finally, to indicate the key points that arise in the proof of the main result, the author discusses, in detail, the special case that \(g = 1\) and \(n = 2\).