Bounds on Faltings's delta function through covers (Q2389209)

The delta function in the title was introduced by the reviewer as a measure for the distance to the boundary of the moduli space, for a complex Riemann surface. It occurs in Noether's formula for arithmetic surfaces, and is defined via the Arakelov metric. The paper under review bounds this function in terms of geometric data, like smallest eigenvalue of the Laplacian or lengths of closed geodesies. The technique involved uses first a translation from Arakelov to hyperbolic geometry, and then the considerable arsenal available for the latter. This is then applied to modular curves.