Maximal order of automorphisms of trigonal Riemann surfaces (Q2268594)

A closed Riemann surface \(S\) is called \textit{trigonal} if there is a degree three branched cover \(f:S \to \widehat{\mathbb C}\), called a \textit{trigonal morphism}. In general, a trigonal surface may have many different trigonal morphisms. Particular classes of trigonal surfaces are those admitting a conformal automorphism of order three, say \(\alpha:S \to S\), so that \(S/\langle \alpha \rangle\) is the orbifold whose underlying Riemann surface is the Riemann sphere; these surfaces are called \textit{cyclic trigonal}. A trigonal Riemann surface which is not a cyclic trigonal surface is called a \textit{generic trigonal surface}. A trigonal surface can be described by an algebraic curve of the form \(y^{3}+yb(x)+c(x)=0\), and \(f(x,y)=x\) defines a trigonal morphism. If \(b(x) \equiv 0\), then such a curve is a cyclic trigonal surface with \(\alpha(x,y)=(x,e^{2 \pi i/3}y)\). It is well known, by results due to \textit{A. Wiman} [Stockh. Akad. Bihang \(\text{XXI}_1\). No. 1. 23 S (1895; JFM 26.0658.02)] and \textit{W. J. Harvey} [Q. J. Math., Oxf. II. Ser. 17, 86--97 (1966; Zbl 0156.08901)], that the order of a conformal automorphism of a closed Riemann surface of genus \(g \geq 2\) is at most \(4g+2\). The same upper bound holds if one is restricted to the subclass of hyperelliptic Riemann surfaces. Let \(S\) be a trigonal surface of genus \(g \geq 5\) and let \(\alpha\) be a conformal automorphism of \(S\). The authors provide the following upper bounds for the order of \(\alpha\). (1) If \(S\) is cyclic trigonal, then the upper bound is \(3g+3\). (2) If \(S\) is generic trigonal, the upper bound is \(2g+1\). Automorphisms of cyclic trigonal surfaces have been also studied by \textit{A. Wootton} [J. Algebra 312, No. 1, 377--396 (2007; Zbl 1117.30034)]. The arguments are based on torsion free finite index subgroups of Fuchsian groups with signature of the form \[ \bigg\langle x_{1},\dots,x_{n},y_{1},\dots,y_{m}: x_{1}^{2}=\cdots=x_{n}^{2}=y_{1}^{3}=\cdots=y_{m}^{3}=1=\prod_{i=1}^{n}x_{j}\prod_{r=1}^{m}y_{r}\bigg\rangle \] and on the Severi-Castelnuovo inequality asserting that a trigonal morphism is unique if \(g \geq 5\) [\textit{R. D. M. Accola}, Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 283, 423--449 (1984; Zbl 0584.14016)].