The Alexander module of a trigonal curve (Q2449571)

A generalized trigonal curve \(C\) on the Hirzebruch surface \(\Sigma_d\) is, by definition, a reduced curve \(C\) on \(\Sigma_d\) intersecting at three points (counting multiplicity) with each fiber of the ruling \(\Sigma_d\to\mathbb{P}^1_{\mathbb{C}}\). If \(C\) is disjoint from the unique exceptional section \(E\) of the ruling with self-intersection \(-d\leq 0\), then \(C\) is called a (genuine) trigonal curve on \(\Sigma_d\). Pick a non-singular fiber \(F\). The affine fundamental group \(\pi_C^{\mathrm{afn}}:=\pi_1(\Sigma_d\setminus\{E,C,F\})\) has Zariski-van Kampen presentation through (a smooth part of the ruling into) the ``Artin braid monodromy \(B_3\to \mathrm{Aut}(F_3)\)'', and especially admits a canonical degree map \(\deg:\pi_C^{\mathrm{afn}}\to\mathbb{Z}\) with \(\mathrm{ker}:=\mathrm{Ker}(\deg)\). In this paper, the structure of the Alexander module \(A_C:=\mathrm{ker}/[\mathrm{ker},\mathrm{ker}]\) (that is a \(\mathbb{Z}[t,t^{-1}]\)-module) is discussed in connection with the associated genus zero subgroup of \(B_3\) via braid monodromy. Theorem 1.2 states that the Alexander polynomials \(\Delta_C(t)\) appearing from those \(A_C\) are classified into the 4 cases: \(\Phi_6(t),\Phi_6(t)^2,\Phi_{10}(t),\Phi_{10}(t)^2\), where \(\Phi_n(t)\) denotes the \(n\)-th cyclotomic polynomial. The mod \(p\) Alexander modules and polynomials are also investigated in details, while ``in the characteristic \(p>0\), a few points remain open. The results obtained apply as well to plane curves with deep singularities''.