On Ballico-Hefez curves and associated supersingular surfaces (Q2345632)

Fix an algebraically closed base field with characteristic \(p>0\) and let \(q\) be a \(p\)-power. The Ballico-Hefez curve is the image of the morphism \(f:\mathbb {P}^1 \to \mathbb {P}^2\) defined by the formula \([s:t] \mapsto [s^{q+1}:t^{q+1}:st^q+ts^q]\). It is a degree \(q+1\) plane curve with \((q^2-q)/2\) ordinary nodes. It appeared in the list of irreducible degree \(q+1\) plane curves whose natural map to its conormal variety has inseparable degree \(q\) [\textit{E. Ballico} and \textit{A. Hefez}, Manuscripta Math. 70, No. 4, 385--396 (1991; Zbl. 0744.14021)] and it was studied in detail in [\textit{S. Fukasawa} et al., Contemp. Math. 574, 37--48 (2012; Zbl 1317.11059)]. Other properties are proved in the paper under review. Fix a positive integer \(d\) coprime to \(q+1\) and let \(S_d \to \mathbb {P}^2\) be a degree \(d\) cyclic covering branched over the Ballico-Hefez curve. The main result of this paper is the existence of degree \(2q\) dominant rational map \(\mathbb {P}^2\dasharrow S_d\) with inseparable degree \(q\). Hence the minimal resolution \(X_d\) of \(S_d\) is supersingular in the sense of Shioda, i.e., its second \(\ell\)-adic cohomology group \(H^2(X_d)\) is generated by the classes of curves. Among the curves of \(X_d\) there are the exceptional divisors over the \((q^2-q)/2\) nodes of the branch curve \(f(\mathbb {P}^1)\) and certain rational curves \(l_P\), one for each \(P\in \mathbb {P}^1(\mathbb {F}_{q^2})\). When either \(d=q+1=4\) or \(d=2\) and \(q+1 =6\), then \(X_d\) is a \(K3\) surface and the authors gives among these curves an explicit basis for the rank \(22\) module \(H^2(X_d)\).