Curves of given \(p\)-rank with trivial automorphism group (Q1001944)

Let \(k\) be an algebraically closed field of characteristic \(p>0\) and \(g\) a positive integer. If \(C\) is a smooth projective \(k\)-curve of genus \(g\) with Jacobian \(\text{Jac}(C)\), then the \textit{\(p\)-rank} of \(C\) is the integer \(f_C\) such that \(\# \text{Jac}[p](C)=p^{f_C}\). It is known that \(0 \leq f_C \leq g\). The authors prove the following result. Theorem. Suppose \(g \geq 3\) and \(0 \leq f \leq g\). 1. There exists a smooth projective \(k\)-curve \(C\) of genus \(g\) and \(p\)-rank \(f\) with \(\text{Aut}(C)=\{1\}\). 2. There exists a smooth projective hyperelliptic \(k\)-curve \(C\) of genus \(g\) and \(p\)-rank \(f\) with \(\text{Aut}(C) \simeq \mathbb{Z}/2\mathbb{Z}\). These results are proved comparing dimensions of different loci in the moduli space of curves. Denote \(M_{g,f}\) (resp. \(H_{g,f}\)) the moduli space of (resp. hyperelliptic) curves of genus \(g\) with \(p\)-rank at most \(f\). On one hand, every irreducible component of \(M_{g,f}\) (resp. \(H_{g,f}\)) has dimension \(2g-3+f\) [\textit{C. Faber} and \textit{G. van der Geer}, J. Reine Angew. Math. 573, 117--137 (2004 ; Zbl 1075.14023)] (resp. \(g-1+f\) [\textit{D. Glass} and \textit{R. Pries}, Manuscr. Math. 117, No. 3, 299--317 (2005 ; Zbl 1093.14039)]). On the other hand, upper bounds on the dimension of the irreducible components of the moduli space of (hyperelliptic) curves having an automorphism of order \(\ell\) are obtained thanks to 3. general arguments (Riemann-Hurwitz formula, deformation) on covers (sometimes wildly ramified); 4. results on some families (Artin-Schreier curves, fiber products of hyperelliptic curves); 5. when \(p \geq 3\), \(f=0\) and \(\ell=4\), a degeneration argument in the hyperelliptic case.