Minimal genus problem for pseudo-real Riemann surfaces (Q607712)

A closed Riemann surface is called a real surface (or symmetric) if it admits an anticonformal automorphism of order two (also called a symmetry). A pseudo-real Riemann surface is a closed Riemann surface admitting an anticonformal automorphism but not a symmetry. Those closed Riemann surfaces with field of moduli being the reals are exactly those which are either real or pseudo-real. Those which can be defined over the reals are exactly the real ones. \textit{C. J. Earle} [Adv. Theory Riemann Surfaces, Proc. 1969 Stony Brook Conf., 119--130 (1971; Zbl 0218.32010)] noted that there are pseudo-real Riemann surfaces. A result due to \textit{M. Seppälä} [J. Reine Angew. Math. 387, 209--220 (1988; Zbl 0638.32020)] states that if \(X\) is a pseudo-real Riemann surface, then there is a cover \(P:X \to Y\), where \(Y\) is a real one. In this paper the authors prove that \(Y\) may be assumed to have a symmetry acting free of fixed points and that \(P\) is a cyclic cover of degree a power of \(2\). The proof is a consequence of the structure of NEC groups and the fact that the group of conformal/anticonformal automorphisms of \(X\) does not have symmetries. The second result of the paper is on the structure of the groups of automorphisms of pseudo-real surfaces. More precisely, the authors state that a finite group \(G\) acts as a group of conformal/anticonformal automorphisms of a pseudo-real surface, admitting anticonformal ones, if and only if it is a non-splitting extension of a group of even order by the cyclic group of order two. Again, the proof uses the fact that the absence of symmetries ensures that the index two subgroup of orientation preserving elements of \(G\) is of even order. Finally, the main result of the paper is to state the minimal genus problem for cyclic groups of automorphisms (generated by an anticonformal one) of pseudo-real surfaces. The proof relies on the structure of NEC groups and the absence of symmetries. The paper is nicely written and easy to read.