Finite fundamental groups, free over \(\mathbb Z/c\mathbb Z\), for Galois covers of \(\mathbb C\mathbb P^2\) (Q811598)

This paper is a continuation of our paper ``Simply connected algebraic surfaces of positive index'' [Invent. Math. 89, 601-643 (1987; Zbl 0627.14019)]. There we constructed a series of surfaces of positive and zero indices denoted \(\hbox{Gal}(X_{ab})\) for \(a\), \(b\in \mathbb{Z}\), \(a\geq 5\), \(b\geq 6\). For \(a,b\) relatively prime we got \(\pi_ 1(\hbox{Gal}(X_{ab}))=0\). This gave a counterexample to the Bogomolov- Watershed conjecture that surfaces of general type and positive index are not simply connected. In this paper we compute \(\pi_ 1(\hbox{Gal}(X_{ab}))\) for arbitrary \(a\), \(b\) and prove that \(\pi_ 1(\hbox{Gal}(X_{ab}))\) is a finite commutative group free over \(\mathbb{Z}/c\mathbb{Z}\) for \(c=\hbox{g.c.d.}(ab)\) with \(2ab\) generators. This study is related to the problem of finding new invariants of surfaces of general type distinguishing different components of moduli spaces. We use all the notations, results and subresults of our paper cited above.