\(\mathbb{F}_{p^2}\)-maximal curves with many automorphisms are Galois-covered by the Hermitian curve (Q2046809)

Let \({\mathbb{F}} = GF(q^2)\) denote the finite field with \(q^2\) elements. For a divisor \(m\) of \(q+1\), denote by \(H_{m}\) the curve \(y^{m} = x^{q}+x\). In particular, \(H_{q+1}\) denotes the Hermitian curve \(y^{q+1} = x^{q}+x\). It is known, for example, that \(H_{m}\) is Galois-covered by \(H_{q+1}\) over \({\mathbb{F}}\) (see Lemma 2.2 in the paper under review). A (projective, non-singular, geometrically irreducible) curve \(X\) of genus \(g\) over \({\mathbb{F}}\) is called \({\mathbb{F}}\)-maximal if the number of its \({\mathbb{F}}\)-rational points is maximum possible, i.e., it attains the Hasse-Weil bound, \(|X({\mathbb{F}})=q^2+1+2qg\). The main result of the authors deals with the case where \(q=p\) is a prime. Their main result is: Let \(X\) be an \({\mathbb{F}}\)-maximal curve with genus \(g\geq 2\). If \(|Aut(X)|>84(g-1)\) then \(X\) is Galois-covered by the Hermitian curve \(H_{q+1}\) over \({\mathbb{F}}\). The proof is broken into the cases \(p\leq 5\) and \(p>5\). The bound on the size of the automorphism group of \(X\) is sharp. The authors give an example (where \(q=p=71\)) of an \({\mathbb{F}}\)-maximal curve with genus \(g=7\), where \(|Aut(X)|=84(7-1)\), and yet is not Galois-covered by \(H_{72}\). For further details, the reader is referred to the paper. The paper is dedicated to the memory of the last-named author, Fernando Torres, who died of Covid-19 in May 2020 while the paper was in press. May his memory be a blessing.