Non-hyperelliptic curves of genus three over finite fields of characteristic two (Q818068)

Let \(k={\mathbb F}_{2^m}\) be a finite field of characteristic 2. \textit{C. T. C. Wall} [Math. Proc. Camb. Philos. Soc. 117, No. 3, 393--414 (1995; Zbl 0863.14019)] classified all quartic curves up to isomorphism over \(\bar k\) and gave a normal form for each class. In particular, Wall gave the four classes corresponding to nonsingular quartics with 7, 4, 2, or 1 bitangents. The authors apply descent theory to Wall's classes to obtain the complete classification of nonsingular quartics up to isomorphism over \(k\). They give explicit models and closed formulas for the total number of \(k\)-isomorphism classes. In the final section, the authors consider the stratification of the nonhyperelliptic locus of \({\mathcal M}_3\), the moduli space of nonsingular curves of genus 3, given by the Newton polygon of the Jacobian of the curve. They give the number of \(k\)-rational points in each of the five strata. Combining this with results about the hyperelliptic locus due to \textit{F. Oort} [C. R. Acad. Sci., Paris, Sér. I 312, No. 5, 385--389 (1991; Zbl 0734.14016)] and the first author and \textit{D. Sadornil} [Finite Fields Appl. 10, No. 2, 198--220 (2004; Zbl 1049.11063)], one obtains the number of \(k\)-rational points in each Newton polygon stratum of \({\mathcal M}_3\).