Plane sextics with a type \(\mathbf{E}_8\) singular point (Q611816)

The paper depends on a preliminary computation found in [Geom. Topol. 14, No. 1, 393--433 (2010; Zbl 1175.14024)], where the author started the study of equisingular deformation families and fundamental groups of plane sextics with a distinguished triple singular point, using the representation of such sextics via trigonal curves in Hirzebruch surfaces and Grothendieck's \textit{dessin d'enfants}. The curves under consideration are plane sextics with simple singularities only and a distinguished triple point of type \({\mathbb E}_8\). Principal results are: an explicit classification of maximal sextics (i.e. sextics with maximal total Milnor number) with a type \({\mathbb E}_8\) singular point and the computation of their fundamental group. The proofs are obtained via geometric construction in terms of skeletons of the trigonal models. In particular, the author discovers four new sextics with nonabelian fundamental groups; two of them are irreducible. The groups of the two irreducible sextics found are finite.