Stable maps from surfaces to the plane with prescribed branching data (Q857046)

The authors consider the problem of constructing stable maps from surfaces to the plane with branch set (i.e. the image of the singular set) which consists of a number of immersed curves in the plane (except possibly with cusps). Stable maps possess various topological invariants, the most important one being the graph, which describes the position of the singular set in the surface, and the branching data. The authors consider the question of realizability of more general graphs and the related question of the calculation of invariants of the branch set, in particular the local invariants which are characterized by their behaviour at codimension one transitions. The two following constructions are used: one by piecing together regions immersed in the plane and the second one by modifying an existing stable map by a sequence of codimension one transitions or by surgeries. The surgeries are used to construct stable maps with prescribed graphs. It is shown that any bipartite graph is the graph of a stable map from an orientable closed surface to the plane. Using Arnol'd's classification of immersed curves the authors list all branch sets with at most two branch curves and four double points realizable by planar fold maps of the torus.