On normal \(K3\) surfaces (Q2469313)

Let \(X\) be a supersingular \(K3\) surface (in the sense of Shioda). Then the Artin invariant of \(X\) is the integer \(\sigma_X\) such that \(p^{-2\sigma_X}\) equals the discriminant of the Picard lattice \(S_X\). It is known that \(0<\sigma_X\leq 10\). A normal \(K3\) surface \(Y\) is a normal surface whose minimal resolution is a \(K3\) surface. Let \(R_Y\) be the formal sum of Dynkin types of the singularities of \(Y\). We call \(Y\) supersingular if its minimal resolution is supersingular. Let \(R\) be a formal sum of Dynkin types, let \(\sigma\) be an integer. In this paper it is shown that if a normal supersingular \(K3\) surface exists with \(R_Y=R\) and \(\sigma_Y=\sigma\) then every supersingular \(K3\) surface with \(\sigma_X=\sigma\) is birational to a normal \(K3\) surface \(Y\) with \(R_Y=R\) and \(\sigma_Y=\sigma\). From this result the author deduces many existence and non-existence results concerning supersingular \(K3\) surfaces with given \(R\) and \(\sigma\). An interesting consequence of these results is the following: There exists seventeen disjoint \((-2)\)-curves on a supersingular \(K3\) surface only in characteristic 2. This extends a result of Nikulin in the complex case (there exist no 17 disjoint \((-2)\)-curves on a complex \(K3\) surface). In characteristic 2 every supersingular \(K3\) surface has exactly 21 disjoint \((-2)\)-curves.