A note on embeddings of \(S^4\) and \(A_5\) into the two-dimensional Cremona group and versal Galois covers (Q945597)

Let \(X\) and \(Y\) be normal projective algebraic varieties defined over the field of complex numbers. Recall that a \(G\)-cover is a finite surjective morphism \(X\rightarrow Y\) such that the induced field extension \({\mathbb C}(X)/{\mathbb C}(Y)\) is Galois, with Galois group equal to \(G\). Furthermore, a \(G\)-cover \(X\rightarrow Y\) is called versal if for any other \(G\)-cover \(W\rightarrow Z\) there exists a \(G\) equivariant rational map \(W\dasharrow X\) whose image is not fixed pointwisely by \(G\). The essential dimension \(\mathrm{ed}_{\mathbb{C}}(G)\) [introduced by \textit{J. Buhler; Z. Reichstein}, Compos. Math. 106, No. 2, 159--179 (1997; Zbl 0905.12003)] of a finite group \(G\) is equivalent to the minimum of the dimension of \(X\) where \(X\rightarrow Y\) is a versal \(G\)-cover. It is known that finite groups with essential dimension \(1\) are diedral and cyclic groups. In this article, the authors studies groups with essential dimension \(2\). More precisely, they study examples of versal \(G\)-covers where \(G\) is either the symmetric group on \(4\) letters or the alternative group on \(5\) letters. In both cases, using classical tools of birational geometry of surfaces (like Noether's inequality), they provide distinct \(G\)-covers and prove that these are not birationally equivalent. This yields explicit distinct embeddings of \(G\) into the \(2\)-dimensional Cremona group.