Abhyankar's conjecture on Galois groups over curves (Q1328152)

This paper proves Abhyankar's conjecture on the fundamental group of affine curves \(U\) over algebraically closed fields of characteristic \(p\). Let \(\pi_{\text{A}} (U)\) denote the set of finite quotients of \(\pi_ 1 (U)\); this is the set of Galois groups of finite unramified Galois covers of \(U\). If \(U\) is a curve of genus \(g\) with \(r>0\) points deleted, and \(G\) is a finite group, then the conjecture states that \(G\) is in \(\pi_{\text{A}} (U)\) if and only if its maximal prime-to-\(p\) quotient is in \(\pi_{\text{A}}\) of a complex curve of genus \(g\) with \(r\) points deleted. The case of \(U = \mathbb{A}^ 1\) was previously shown by \textit{M. Raynaud} [Invent. Math. 116, No. 1-3, 425-462 (1994; Zbl 0798.14013)], using rigid methods. The present paper uses Raynaud's result and methods of formal patching of schemes. It shows moreover that the asserted \(G\)- Galois cover can be chosen so that its smooth completion has the property that only a single, predetermined, branch point is wildly ramified.