On ramified double covering maps of Riemann surfaces (Q1964135)

Let \(X\) be a compact Riemann surface of genus \(g\geq 2\) and let \(\mathbb{C}(X)\) denote its function field. The paper gives an upper bound for the number \(k\) of subfunction fields of index 2 of \(\mathbb{C}(X)\) or equivalently the number of inequivalent ramified double coverings \(\pi:X\to Y\) of degree 2. Moreover it is shown that this bound is sharp. In fact there are infinitely many odd values for \(g\) where this bound is taken. For even genus the situation is completely different: There is either 1 or 3 subfield of degree 2 of \(\mathbb{C}(X)\). The proofs use the description of \(X\) as a Fuchsian group. Reviewer's remark: All curves with the maximum number of double coverings are hyperelliptic.