On the tangent space of the deformation functor of curves with automorphisms (Q1005840)

If a finite group acts on an algebraic curve over a field whose characteristic divides the number of elements of the group, we don't know a way to compute the infinitesimal structure of the deformation space of the curve with the group action in general, from invariants of the action (there is only a general cohomological theory). The situation is settled only if the group action is weakly ramified, meaning that the second ramification groups are trivial. In this paper, the author develops a method to use the transgression map in group cohomology to compute the (linear) first-order deformation space. The method is then applied successfully to include all previously known examples, and more, such as Fermat curves, certain cyclic covers of the affine line, and certain curves with large automorphism group.