Galois action on universal covers of Kodaira fibrations (Q2178467)

Let \( S \) be a nonsingular compact complex surface and \( B \) a nonsingular complex algebraic curve. A surjective holomorphic map \(f:S\rightarrow B\) is a \textit{Kodaira fibration} if \( f \) is everywhere of maximal rank and its fibers are connected smooth curves not isomorphic to a fixed one. The author uses the term \textit{Kodaira surface} for \(S\). In the 1970's, \textit{P. A. Griffiths} [Ann. Math. (2) 94, 21--51 (1971; Zbl 0221.14008)] and \textit{L. Bers} [Bull. Lond. Math. Soc. 4, 257--300 (1972; Zbl 0257.32012)] proved that the (holomorphic) universal cover of any Kodaira surface is a bounded contractible domain \( \mathcal{B}\subset \mathbb{C}^2 \). In [Comment. Math. Helv. 90, No. 2, 429--434 (2015; Zbl 1323.30054)], \textit{S. Reyes-Carocca} and the author proved that Kodaira surfaces with isomorphic universal covers can be defined over exactly the same set of algebraically closed subfields of \( \mathbb{C}\). It implies that the property of being definable over the field of complex algebraic numbers \(\overline{\mathbb{Q}}\) depends only on its universal cover. \textit{F. Catanese} has recently asked [Jpn. J. Math. 12, No. 2, 91--174 (2017; Zbl 1410.14010), Question 33] if there exist a Kodaira surface \( S \) defined over \(\overline{\mathbb{Q}}\) and an automorphism \(\sigma\in\mathrm{Gal}(\overline{\mathbb{Q}})\) such that the universal coverings of S and of its Galois conjugate \( S^{\sigma} \) are not isomorphic? The main result of the reviewed paper is that there are such Kodaira surfaces for all \( \sigma\neq\mathrm{Id} \). More precisely, this result follows, when \( \overline{k}=\overline{\mathbb{Q}} \), from the author's theorem: The Galois group \(\mathrm{Gal}(\overline{k}/\mathbb{Q})\) acts faithfully on \(\mathcal{U}(\overline{k}) \) where \( \overline{k} \) is an algebraically closed subfield of \( \mathbb{C} \) and \(\mathcal{U}(\overline{k}) \) is the set of biholomorphy classes of bounded contractible domains in \( \mathbb{C}^2 \) that are the universal covers of Kodaira surfaces definable over \( \overline{k} \). The theorem hints at the abundance of bounded contractible domains in \( \mathbb{C}^2 \). This is in contrast with the situation in the 1-dimensional case in which the unit disk serves as the universal cover of all compact Riemann surfaces of negative Euler characteristic. It is also proved that \textit{a bounded contractible domain \( \mathcal{B}\subset\mathbb{C}^2 \) can be the universal cover of only finitely many Kodaira surfaces of given Euler number.} This result implies that the number of isomorphy classes of bounded contractible domains in \( \mathbb{C}^2 \) is uncountable. In addition, the author gives an example of such a domain that is not the universal cover of a Kodaira surface.