Semistable reduction for overconvergent \(F\)-isocrystals on a curve (Q1429213)

The author proves a weak form of the global version of a conjecture of \textit{R. Crew} [Ann. Sci. Éc. Norm. Supér., IV. Sér. 31, 717--763 (1998; Zbl 0943.14008)], using also the local version proved by \textit{Y. André} [Invent. Math. 148, 285--317 (2002; Zbl 1081.12003)], \textit{Z. Mebkhout} [Invent. Math. 148, 319--351 (2002; Zbl 1071.12004)] and himself [A \(p\)-adic local monodromy theorem. Preprint, \texttt{http://arxiv.org/abs/math.AG/0110124}]. Namely (theorem 1.1): Let \(X\) be a smooth, geometrically connected curve over a field \(k\) of positive characteristic. If \(\mathcal E\) is an overconvergent \(F^a\)-isocrystal on \(X\) (\(a\geq 1)\) then there exists a finite separable morphism \(f:X'\to X\) (\(k\) replaced by a convenient finite purely inseparable extension) so that the pullback of \(\mathcal E\) by \(f\) extends to a log-\(F^a\)-isocrystal on a smooth compactification of \(X'\).