On Szpiro inequality for semistable families of curves (Q2257313)

In the paper under review, the authors give several optimal inequalities of Szpiro's type for curves of genus \(g\geq 2\) defined over a function field. Precisely, let \(K\) be the function field of a non-singular complete curve \(C\) of genus \(b\) defined over an algebraically closed field. For a smooth algebraic curve \(Y\) of genus \(g\geq 2\) defined over \(K\), the authors considered the associated relatively minimal fibration \(f: X\to C\) of genus \(g\) whose generic fiber is \(Y/K\), where \(X\) is a smooth surface and any fiber contains no \((-1)\)-curves. When \(f\) is semistable and non-trivial, Szpiro's inequalities bound the number \(N\) of the singular points of the fibers and the degree of the discriminant \(\mathcal{D}_{Y/K}\). Denote by \(F_1,\dots,F_s\) the singular fibers of \(f\), and let \(s_1\) be the smallest number of \(F_i\) whose Jacobian \(J(F_i)\) is non-compact. The authors present three improvements of Szpiro's inequalities. The first states that if \(\text{char} k=0\), then \[ N<(4g+2)(1-\frac{g_f}{g})(2b-2+s_1) \] where \(q_f=h^{0,1}(X)-b\) is the relative irregularity of \(f\). If \(q_f\geq1\), then \[ N\leq 4(g-q_f)(2b-2+s_1). \] The second states that if \(\text{char} k=p>0\), then \[ N<2g(4g+2)(2b-2+s) \] which is independent of \(p\). The third one states that if \(f: X\to C\) is a non-trivial hyperelliptic fibration over an algebraically closed field \(k\) of characteristic \(0\), let \(K=k(C)\) and let \(Y=X\times_C\mathrm{Spec}(K)\) be the generic fiber of \(f\). Then \[ \deg\mathcal{D}_{Y/K}\leq\frac{4g+2}{g}((g-q_f)(2b-2)+\deg\mathcal{N}_{Y/K}), \] where \(\mathcal{N}_{Y/K}\) is the conductor divisor of \(Y/K\).