Normal factorization in \(\text{SL}(2,\mathbb{Z})\) and the confluence of singular fibers in elliptic fibrations (Q839703)

Kodaira produced a list of matrices in \(\text{SL}(2,\mathbb Z)\) that occur as the monodromy around a singular fiber in an elliptic fibration. Let \(M\) in \(\text{SL}(2,\mathbb Z)\) be a matrix from Kodaira's list. The authors provide a result on the shortest possible factorization of \(M\) in terms of conjugates in \(\text{SL}(2,\mathbb Z)\) of \(\begin{pmatrix} 1 & 1 \\ 0 & 1 \end{pmatrix}\). The authors use this to provide necessary and sufficient conditions under which a relatively minimal elliptic fibrations without multiple fibers over the complex unit disc can be weakly deformed in an elliptic fibration with one singular fiber.