Selmer ranks of twists of hyperelliptic curves and superelliptic curves (Q897534)

A superelliptic curve \(C_{p,f}\) over a number field \(L\) is a plane smooth projective curve defined by the equation \(y^p = f(x)\), where \(f(x)\in L[x]\) is a separable polynomial with \(p \nmid \deg(f)\). When \(p = 2\), we call it a hyperelliptic curve. We denote by \(J\) its Jacobian variety. In this paper, the variation of Selmer ranks of Jacobians of twists of hyperelliptic curves and superelliptic curves is studied. More precisely, the following question is investigated: Is it true that the half of \(J_{\chi}\) have even 2-Selmer ranks, and the other half odd in the family of quadratic twists of \(J\) (as in the case of elliptic curves)? It is proved to be true if \(\deg(f) \equiv 3\, (\bmod\, 4)\), and false if \(\deg(f) \equiv 1\, (\bmod\, 4)\). Furthermore, sufficient conditions for such curves have given in order to have infinitely many twists whose Jacobians have Selmer ranks equal to \(r\), for any given integer \(r>0\). This generalizes earlier results of \textit{B. Mazur} and \textit{K. Rubin} [Ann. Math. (2) 166, No. 2, 579--612 (2007; Zbl 1219.11084); Invent. Math. 181, No. 3, 541--575 (2010; Zbl 1227.11075)] on elliptic curves.