Families of Artin-Schreier curves with Cartier-Manin matrix of constant rank (Q2435476)

Let \(k\) be an algebraically closed field of characteristic \(p>0\). Let \(X\) be an Artin-Schreier curve with equation \(y^p-y =f(x)\) with \(f(x)\in k(x)\setminus k\) and \(p\) not dividing the order of any pole of \(f(x)\). Let \(d_0,\dots ,d_m\) be the order of the poles of \(f(x)\) and \(L\) their minimum common multiple. Set \(a_j:= (p-1)d_j/4\) if \(d_j\) is even and \(a_j:= (p-1)(d_j-1)(d_j+1)/4d_j\) if \(d_j\) is odd. In most cases the Newton polygon of \(X\) is not determined only by \(d_0,\dots ,d_m\), but this is the case if \(p\equiv 1 \pmod{L}\) [\textit{H. J. Zhu}, Int. Math. Res. Not. 2004, No. 30, 1529--1550 (2004; Zbl 1089.11044)]. In the paper under review the authors prove that this is the case also for the \(a\)-number \(a_X\) of \(X\) of the \(p\)-torsion part of the Jacobian of \(X\), ``providing the first non-trivial examples of families of Jacobians with constant \(a\)-number. Equivalently, we consider the semi-linear Cartier operator on the sheaf of regular 1-forms of \(X\) and provide the first non-trivial examples of families of curves whose Cartier-Manin matrix has constant rank.'' They prove that \(a_X = a_0+\cdots +a_m\) if \(p\equiv 1 \pmod{L}\). They raise the following question: if \(p \equiv 1 \pmod{L}\) are the Ekedahl-Oort types and the Dieudonné modules of \(X\) determined by the orders of the poles of \(f(x)\)?