\(K3\) surfaces with a symplectic automorphism of order 11 (Q843185)

Let \(X\) be a \(K3\) surface defined over an algebraically closed field \(k\) of characteristic \(p \geq 0\). An automorphism \(g\) of \(X\) is called symplectic if it preserves a regular 2-form of \(X\). If \(p >0\), an automorphism whose order is a power of \(p\) is called wild. Let \(G < \mathrm{Aut}(X)\) be a group of automorphisms of \(X\). It is called symplectic if all its members are symplectic and wild if it contains a wild automorphism of \(X\). If \(k=\mathbb{C}\), then \textit{S. Mukai} [Invent. Math. 94, No. 1, 183--221 (1988; Zbl 0705.14045)] has observed that the action of \(G\) on the cohomology ring \(H^{\ast}(X,\mathbb{Q})=\bigoplus_{i=1}^4 H^i(X, \mathbb{Q})\cong \mathbb{Q}^{24}\) is a Matthieu representation and by using this he showed that \(G\) is isomorphic to a subgroup of the Matthieu group \(M_{23}\). In a previous paper, the authors have extended Mukai's results to positive characteristic \(p>0\) [Ann. Math. (2) 169, No. 1, 269--313 (2009; Zbl 1187.14047)]. In particular they showed that if \(p>0\) and \(G\) is not wild, then the action of \(G\) on \(H_{et}^{\ast}(X,\mathbb{Q}_l)=\bigoplus_{i=1}^4 H_{et}^i(X, \mathbb{Q}_l)\cong \mathbb{Q}_l^{24}\), is Matthieu when \(l \not= p\) and they concluded that \(G\) is isomorphic to a subgroup of the Matthieu group \(M_{23}\). Moreover, they have shown that if \(G\) is wild, then \(p \leq 11\). In the paper under review the authors classify wild groups of automorphisms of \(X\) in the case when \(p=11\). Let \(G\) be such a group. They show that the action of \(G\) on the cohomology ring \(H_{et}^{\ast}(X,\mathbb{Q}_l)\) is Matthieu if \(l \not= 11\) and by using a group theoretic argument similar to the one used by Mukai they show that \(G\) is isomorphic to one of the groups \(\mathbb{Z}_{11}\), \(\mathbb{Z}_{11} \rtimes \mathbb{Z}_5\), \(\mathrm{PSL}_2(\mathbb{F}_{11})\), \(M_{11}\) and \(M_{22}\). In particular, \(G\) is isomorphic to a subgroup of \(M_{23}\). This is not true in characteristic \(p <7\) as there are examples of wild group of automorphisms that cannot be embedded in \(M_{23}\). As to the moment of this writing, it is still unknown if this is so in characteristic \(p=7\). Finally, they show that if \(G\) is a wild group of automorphisms of \(X\) and \(g \in G\) is a wild automorphism, then the order of \(g\) is 11. Moreover, \(X\) admits a \(g\)-invariant elliptic pencil \(|F|\) and \(X\) is \(\mathbb{Z}_{11}\)-invariantly isomorphic to a torsor of one of the surfaces \(X_{\varepsilon}\) equipped with its standard elliptic fibration, where \(X_{\varepsilon}\subset \mathbb{P}(1,1,4,6)\) is given by \(y^2+x^3+\varepsilon x^2t_0^4+t_0t_1^{11}-t_0^{11}t_1=0\) and its elliptic fibration \(X \rightarrow \mathbb{P}^1\) is given by projection to the \(t_0, t_1\) coordinates.