Generalized Humbert curves (Q940743)

A compact Riemann surface \(S\) of genus \(g\geq 0\) is said to be a generalized Humbert curve if it admits a group of conformal automorphisms \(H\), called a Humbert group, which is isomorphic to an elementary abelian group of order \(2^k\) such that the quotient space \(S/H\) has genus \(0\) and the quotient map \(\pi:S\rightarrow S/H\) is branched over \(k+1\) points. The classical Humbert curves are given by \(k=4\). In the paper under review, the authors prove numerous results describing properties of generalized Humbert curves, many of these results considered as generalizations to results which hold for the classical Humbert curves. Highlights of the results include Fuchsian, algebraic and Schottky descriptions of generalized Humbert curves. The authors also consider properties of the full automorphism group \(A\) of a generalized Humbert curve as well as special families of generalized Humbert curves. For example, the authors classify all quasiplatonic generalized Humbert curves (when the quotient space \(S/A\) has genus \(0\) and the quotient map \(\pi:S\rightarrow S/A\) is branched over three points), and they show that any two Humbert subgroups of \(A\) must be conjugate. The techniques used by the authors include uniformization by Fuchsian groups and analysis of the Weierstrass points on a generalized Humbert curve. The paper is well written with some interesting results. Given the breadth of the results, the paper also does a sound job in summarizing many of the different ideas and contructions of the subject, so it can serve as a good introduction to the techniques used when studying families of compact Riemann surfaces.