The small Schottky-Jung locus in positive characteristics different from two. (Q1864242)

In this article, the author gives a generalization of a result of \textit{B. van Geemen} [Invent. Math. 78, 329--349 (1984; Zbl 0568.14015)] for any field \(k\) of characteristic different from \(2\). Namely, let \(\mathcal{A}_g\) be the moduli space of principally polarized abelian varieties of dimension \(g \geq 2\). Let \(\mathfrak{M}_g\) be the moduli space of smooth curves of genus \(g\). Let \(\mathfrak{I}_{g,k}\) be the closed subscheme of \(\mathcal{A}_g \otimes k\) defined as the scheme theoretic image of \(\mathfrak{M}_g \otimes k\) via the Torelli map. Let \(\mathfrak{S}_{g,k}^{\text{small}}\) be the closed subscheme of \(\mathcal{A}_g \otimes k\) defined by relations analogous to the classical Schottky-Jung relations. Theorem. The irreducible component of \(\mathfrak{S}_{g,k}^{\text{small}}\) containing \(\mathfrak{I}_{g,k}\) is equal to \(\mathfrak{I}_{g,k}\). The main difficulty and the main achievement of the paper is to carry out a purely algebraically proof of the result. In order to define the Schottky relations for instance, the author uses the formalism of Mumford's theta function. The second novelty is the use of results of [\textit{G. Faltings} and \textit{C.-L. Chai}, ``Degeneration of abelian varieties'', Ergebnisse der Mathematik und ihrer Grenzbiete, 3. Folge, Band 22, Springer-Verlag (1990 ; Zbl 0744.14031)] on toroidal compactifications and the use of Fourier-Jacobi expansion of theta functions that enables to go deeper in the boundary.