Generalized Artin-Mumford curves over finite fields (Q2357526)

Artin-Mumford curves over a field \(\mathbb{F}\) of odd characteristic \(p\), denoted by \(\mathcal{M}_c\), are non-singular planar curves of genus \((p-1)^2\) described by the affine equation \(\mathcal{M}_c:\,(x^p-x)(y^p-y)=c\), for some \(c\in\mathbb{F}^*\). In the case that \((\mathbb{F},|\,\cdot\,|)\) is a non-Archimedean valued field, the automorphism group \(\text{Aut}_{\mathbb{F}}(\mathcal{M}_c)\) with \(|c|<1\) is the semidirect product \(H:=(C_p\times C_p)\rtimes D_{p-1}\), where \(C_p\) is the cyclic group of order \(p\) and \(D_{p-1}\) is the dihedral group of order \(2(p-1)\), see the work of \textit{G. Cornelissen} and \textit{F. Kato} [Duke Math. J. 116, No. 3, 431--470 (2003; Zbl 1092.14032); Math. Ann. 320, No. 1, 55--85 (2001; Zbl 1031.14011)] and [\textit{G. Cornelissen} and \textit{F. Kato}, Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 132, No. 7, 1937--1941 (2004; Zbl 1044.14009)]. The same holds over any algebraically closed field of odd characteristic, see [\textit{R. C. Valentini} and \textit{M. L. Madan}, J. Reine Angew. Math. 318, 156--177 (1980; Zbl 0426.12016)]. The genus \((p-1)^2\) together with an automorphism group as above characterize the Artin-Mumford curve, that is, if \(\mathcal{X}\) is an algebraic curve of genus \(g=(p-1)^2\) such that \(\text{Aut}(\mathcal{X})\) contains a subgroup isomorphic to \(H\) then \(\mathcal{X}\) is birationally equivalent over \(\mathbb{F}_p\) to the Artin-Mumford curve \(\mathcal{M}_c\), see [\textit{V. V. Batyrev}, Math. Res. Lett. 7, No. 2--3, 155--164 (2000; Zbl 0952.14038)]. Let \(\mathbb{F}_q\) be the finite field of order \(q=p^h\) with \(p>2\) prime and \(h>1\) an integer, and let \(\mathbb{F}_{\overline{q}}\) be a subfield of \(\mathbb{F}_q\). The paper under review considers generalized Artin-Mumford curves of genus \((q-1)^2\) defined by an affine equation of the form \(\mathcal{X}_{(L_1, L_2)}: L_1(x)\cdot L_2(y)=1\), where \(L_1(T)\) and \(L_2(T)\) are separable \(\overline{q}\)-linearized polynomials of degree \(q\) over \(\overline{\mathbb{F}}_q\), a fixed algebraic closure of \(\mathbb{F}_q\). The automorphism group of \(\mathcal{X}_{(L_1, L_2)}\) over \(\overline{\mathbb{F}}_q\) is described; Theorems 1.1 and 1.2. For \(L_1\neq L_2\), \(\text{Aut}(\mathcal{X}_{(L_1,L_2)})=\Sigma\rtimes\Gamma\) with \(\Sigma\) an elementary abelian \(p\)-group of order \(q^2\) and \(\Gamma\) a cyclic group of order \(\overline{q}-1\). For \(L_1=L_2\), there exists an extra involution and \(\text{Aut}(\mathcal{X}_{(L_1,L_2)})=\Sigma\rtimes\Delta\) with \(\Delta\) a dihedral group of order \(2(\overline{q}- 1)\) containing \(\Gamma\). Theorems 1.3 and 1.4 solve the question whether the genus \((q-1)^2\) and the automorphism group, described in Theorems 1.1 and 1.2, characterize the generalized Artin-Mumford curves over \(\overline{\mathbb{F}}_p\). More precisely, if \(\mathcal{X}\) is an algebraic curve of genus \(g=(q-1)^2\) such that \(\text{Aut}(\mathcal{X})\) contains an elementary abelian group \(E_{q^2}\) of order \(q^2\) (respectively, a semidirect product \(E_{q^2}\times(C_2\times C_2)\) where \(C_2\times C_2\) is the Klein four group), then \(\mathcal{X}\) is birationally equivalent over \(\overline{\mathbb{F}}_p\) to some \(\mathcal{X}_{(L_1, L_2)}\) (respectively, to some \(\mathcal{X}_{(L,L)}\)). In the latter situation, the assumption on the genus can be weakened to \(g\leq(q-1)^2\).