The monodromy of Weierstrass points (Q1095206)

Here it is proved that the monodromy of the Riemann surfaces of genus \(g\) acts as the full symmetric group on the Weierstraß points of a general curve. The proof uses a degeneration to stable reducible curves with \(Pic^ 0\) compact introduced and developed by the authors [Invent. Math. 85, 337-371 (1986; Zbl 0598.14003)]. An example: if the curve X is union of a smooth curve Y of genus \(g-1\) and an elliptic curve E glued at a point \(p\in Y\cap E,\quad p\quad not\) a Weierstraß point of Y, the Weierstraß points on X are the ramification points on Y of the complete linear series \(| K_ Y+2p|\) and the \(g^ 2-1\) points of \(E\setminus \{p\}\) which differ from p by g-torsion. Part of the monodromy is constructed by fixing a (reducible) curve and varying its canonical series.