Symplectic automorphisms of prime order on \(K3\) surfaces (Q2468534)

Let \(X\) be a complex \(K3\) surface. An automorphism \(\sigma\) of \(X\) is called symplectic if \(\sigma^*\) restricted to \(H^{2,0}(X)\) is the identity. Let \(\Lambda_{K3}:=U^3\oplus E_8(-1)^2\), which is isometric to \(H^2(X,\mathbb Z)\). Let \(\sigma \) be a symplectic automorphism of \(X\). \textit{V. V. Nikulin} [Tr. Mosk. Mat. O.-va 38, 75--137 (1979; Zbl 0433.14024)] proved that if a symplectic automorphism has prime order \(p\), then \(p\in \{2,3,5,7\}\). If \(p=2\) then \(\sigma\) is a so-called Nikulin involution, and this case is well studied. The authors concentrate on the case \(p\in \{ 3,5,7\}\). They provide examples of \(K3\) surfaces with a symplectic automorphism \(\sigma_p\) of order \(p\), namely elliptic \(K3\) surfaces with a section of order \(p\). Using the theory of elliptic \(K3\) surfaces they describe the fixed part \(\Lambda_{K3}^{\sigma_p^*}\) and its orthogonal complement. Nikulin showed that the action \(\sigma^*_p\) on \(\Lambda_{K3}\) is unique up to isometry, i.e., independent of \(X\). Hence the above results gives \(H^2(X,\mathbb Z)^{\sigma_p^*}\) and its orthogonal complement for all \(K3\) surfaces \(X\) with a symplectic automorphism of order \(p\).