Polynomial families of tautological classes on \(\mathcal M^{\mathrm{rt}}_{g,n}\) (Q425306)

Let \(\mathcal{M}_{g,n}^{\mathrm{rt}}\) be the moduli space of stable, \(n\)-pointed, genus \(g\) curves with rational tails. The paper deals with the calculation and comparison of two Chow classes in the intersection theory of \(\mathcal{M}^{\mathrm{rt}}_{g,n}\) coming from two possible characterizations of the following geometric condition: given a smooth, \(n\)-pointed, genus \(g\) curve \(C\) over \(\mathbb{C}\), there exists a map to \(\mathbb{P}^1\) with prescribed ramification profile over two points. This property naturally defines a locus \(\mathcal{L}\) inside the moduli space \(\mathcal{M}_{g,n}\) and can be expressed in two ways: either as the image of a morphism from a moduli space of covers of \(\mathbb{P}^1\), or by intersecting sections of the universal Jacobian \(\mathcal{J}_{g,n}\). The first leads to classes \(P_{g,T}\), firstly introduced by \textit{T. Graber} and \textit{R. Vakil} [Duke Math. J. 130, No. 1, 1--37 (2005; Zbl 1088.14007)] and defined by pushing forward appropriate virtual fundamental classes, while the second leads to classes \(Q_{g,T}\) arising from sections of the universal Jacobian. The authors provide a comparison between the classes \(P_{g,T}\) and \(Q_{g,T}\) over \(\mathcal{M}^{\mathrm{rt}}_{g,T}\) and this result, together with localization techniques and the study of natural relative obstruction theories, leads to the computation of the class \(P_{1,T}\) in terms of standard tautological classes.