On fields of moduli of curves (Q1279812)

Let \(F/K\) be a Galois extension and \(X\) be a smooth projective curve defined over \(F\). The field of moduli, denoted by \(K_m\), of \(X\) relative to \(F/K\) is the fixed subfield by the \(\tau\in\text{Gal}(F/K)\) such that \(X\simeq_FX^\tau\). This notion works also for covers \(X\to B\), where \(B\) is a geometrically irreducible curve defined over \(K\). A field of definition of \(X\) (resp. \(X\to B)\) contains \(K_m\). Suppose that the genus of \(X\) is at least 2 (for the questions studied here this is not a loss of generality) and that the order of \(\Aut(X)\) is not divisible by the characteristic of \(K\). The authors prove (theorem 3.1) that, if \(K=K_m\), then \(B:=X/\Aut(X)\) is defined over \(K\) and \(K\) is also the field of moduli of the cover \(X\to B\). Furthermore, \(X\) and \(X\to B\) have the same field of definition (among the subfields of \(F/K)\). This result leads to use the main theorem of \textit{P. Dèbes} and \textit{J.-C. Douai} in Ann. Sci. Éc. Norm. Supér., IV. Sér. 30, No. 3, 303-338 (1997; Zbl 0906.12001), which measures the obstruction to have equality between the field of definition and the field of moduli. An interesting corollary (corollary 4.4) is that if \(F\) is an algebraic closure of \(\mathbb{Q}\), then \(K_m\) is the intersection of all fields of definition of \(X\). Among other applications, the authors obtain a local global principle: If \(X\) is defined over an algebraic closure of \(\mathbb{Q}\) and if it is also, with all of its automorphisms, defined over \(\mathbb{Q}_p\) for all \(p\) (including \(p=\infty)\), then it is defined over \(\mathbb{Q}\).