The Fermat cubic and special Hurwitz loci in \(\overline{\mathcal{M}}\) (Q1049901)

The Hurwitz locus in the moduli space \(\bar M_g\) of stable curves of genus \(g\) corresponds to the locus of curves equipped with a map \(C\to \mathbb P^1\), with ramification points of preassigned type. Hurwitz loci have been intensively studied, in the case of one ramification points. The corresponding cycle classes are useful for a description of the Chow ring of \(\bar M_g\). The author starts the study of the Hurwitz locus \(IR_d \subset \bar M_{2d-3}\), of curves with a pencil \(C\to \mathbb P^1\), having two triple ramification points. \(IR_d\) is a divisor in the Picard group of \(\bar M_{2d-3}\), and it is not the pull-back of a divisor in the moduli space of pseudo-stable curves. The author determines an expression of \(IR_d\) in terms of the standard basis for Pic\((\bar M_{2d-3})\). He also describes curves in the intersection of \(IR_d\) with the boundary divisor of curves splitting in two components.