Ree groups and Riemann surfaces (Q1327018)

For a finite group \(G\), the strong symmetric genus \(\sigma^ 0(G)\) is the least genus of any compact Riemann surfaces \(R\) such that \(G\leq\Aut R\) and the monodromy genus \(\gamma(G)\) is the least genus of any branched covering-surface \(S\to \Sigma\) of the Riemann sphere \(\Sigma\) with monodromy group \(G\). Here these genera are determined for the finite simple Ree groups \(^ 2G_ 2(3^ f)\), \(f\geq 3\) odd, using the observation that \(^ 2G_ 2(3^ f)\), \(f\geq 3\) odd, is a Hurwitz group, that is, a non-identity finite image of the ordinary (2,3,7)-triangle group.