On Néron models of moduli spaces of theta characteristics (Q2270116)

From the author's abstract: Let \(f : \mathcal{C} \to B\) be a smoothing of a stable curve \(C\) and \(S_f^*\) be the moduli space of theta characteristics on the smooth fibers of \(f\). We describe the Néron model \(N(S_f^*)\) in terms of combinatorial invariants of the dual graph of \(C\). Furthermore, we provide a modular description of \(N(S_f^*)\) and we construct an immersion \(\psi_f : N(S_f^*) \to J_{\mathcal{E}}^{\sigma}\) where \(J_{\mathcal{E}}^{\sigma}\) is a suitable relative compactified Jacobian. We show that \(\psi_f\) factors through the locus of \(J_{\mathcal{E}}^{\sigma}\) parametrizing locally free rank-\(1\) sheaves.