A new curve algebraically but not rationally uniformized by radicals (Q2017217)

A complex smooth curve \(C\) is called rationally uniformized by radicals if there is a dominant morphism \(C\to \mathbb{P}^1\) whose Galois closure has solvable Galois group. It is called algebraically uniformized by radicals if there is a finite cover \(C'\to C\) with \(C'\) rationally unifomized by radicals. In [Atti Accad. Naz. Lincei, Rend., VI. Ser. 3, 660--666 (1926; JFM 52.0652.05)], \textit{O. Zariski} showed that the general curve of genus \(>6\) is not rationally uniformized by radicals, and posed a question if it could still be algebraically uniformized by radicals. In a previous paper by two of the authors [J. Algebra 289, No. 2, 412--420 (2005; Zbl 1078.14035)], a curve \(C\) of genus 7 constructed by \textit{O. Debarre} and \textit{R. Fahlaoui} [Compos. Math. 88, 235--249 (1993; Zbl 0808.14025)] was shown to confirm distinction between the two notions of uniformization by radicals. In this paper, a new example is constructed. The main theorem (Theorem 5.1) reads: Let \(\mathcal{C}\) be the family of smooth genus 9 complex curves \(C\) for which there exists a genus 2 curve \(Y\) such that \(C\subset X=\mathrm{Sym}^2(Y)\) and the class of \(C\) in the Néron-Severi group of \(X\) is \(3H+E\). Then a general curve in \(\mathcal{C}\) is algebraically, but not rationally, uniformized by radicals. In particular, there is a smooth curve \(C'\) that covers \(C\) and admits a morphism \(C'\to Y\) of degree \(\leq 4\), so that the covering \(C'\to C\) does not satisfy the Abramovich-Harris condition \(S(4,2,9)\) [\textit{D. Abramovich} and \textit{J. Harris}, Compos. Math. 78, No. 2, 227--238 (1991; Zbl 0748.14010)]: The genus \(9\) curve \(C\) does not admit a map of degree \(\leq 4\) to a curve of genus \(\leq 2\), while the cover \(C'\) admits such a map.