Large 2-groups of automorphisms of algebraic curves over a field of characteristic 2 (Q2259158)

Let \(\mathcal{X}\) be a complete nonsingular algebraic curve of genus \(\mathfrak{g}(\mathcal{X})\geqq 2\) over an algebraically closed field of characteristic \(p> 0\). In positive characteristic, the \(p\)-rank \(\gamma\) of (the Jacobian of) \(\mathcal{X}\) comes into play in the study of automorphism group \(\mathrm{Aut}(\mathcal{X})\) by [\textit{S. Nakajima}, Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 303, 595--607 (1987; Zbl 0644.14010)]. Let \(S\) be a \(p\)-Sylow subgroup of \(\mathrm{Aut}(\mathcal{X})\). Roughly, there are two estimates as follows (there exist much more results). If \(\gamma\geqq 1\), then we have \(|S|\leqq 4(\mathfrak{g}(\mathcal{X})-1)\). If \(\gamma =0\), then \(S\) has a unique fixed point by [\textit{M. Giulietti} and \textit{G. Korchmáros}, J. Lond. Math. Soc., II. Ser. 81, No. 2, 277--296 (2010; Zbl 1193.14042)]. In such a case, we have \(|S|\leqq 8\mathfrak{g}(\mathcal{X})^2\) by [\textit{H. Stichtenoth}, Arch. Math. 24, 527--544 (1973; Zbl 0282.14006)]. Examples of curves which attain the latter equality are known. In this paper, the authors study the former case in characteristic \(p=2\). Suppose \(p=2\) and (I) \(|S|\geqq 8\) and \(|S|> 2(\mathfrak{g}(\mathcal{X})-1)\), (II) \(S\) has no fixed points. Then the authors show that either (A) \(\mathcal{X}\) is a general curve in the sense that \(\gamma=\mathfrak{g}(\mathcal{X})\) and \(|S|=4(\mathfrak{g}(\mathcal{X})-1)\) or \(2\mathfrak{g}(\mathcal{X})+2\), or (B) for every central involution \(u\in S\) the quotient curve \(\mathcal{X}/u\) and the automorphism group \(S/u\) inherits the same properties as (I), (II). In the first case they identify the group \(S\) and in the second case the investigation can be done inductively. In other characteristics, the authors remark that for \(p\geqq 5\), the analogous result does not hold. For \(p=3\), they have done a separate work [\textit{M. Giulietti} and \textit{G. Korchmáros}, Des. Codes Cryptography 68, No. 1--3, 61--72 (2013; Zbl 1280.51004)].