Normal subgroups of the algebraic fundamental group of affine curves in positive characteristic (Q1000590)

Let \(C\) be a smooth connected affine curve over a countable algebraically closed field \(k\) of positive characteristic \(p\), and let \(N\) be a closed normal subgroup of the algebraic fundamental group \(\pi_1(C)\) of \(C\). The main result of the present paper is the following: If \(\pi_1(C)/N\) has a \(p\)-Sylow subgroup which is not finitely generated, then \(N\) is isomorphic to a closed normal subgroup of the free profinite group of countable rank \(F\). In particular, every proper open subgroup of \(N\) is isomorphic to \(F\). Thus, the paper relates the infinite index normal subgroup structure (or, as the authors also call it, the `\(p\)-deep structure') of \(\pi_1(C)\) to the infinite index normal subgroup structure of \(F\), which is well studied. This result can be seen as complementing the Abhyankar Conjecture (proven by \textit{M. Raynaud} [Invent. Math. 116, No. 1--3, 425--462 (1994; Zbl 0798.14013)] for the case of the affine line, and in general by \textit{D. Harbater} [Invent. Math. 117, No. 1, 1--25 (1994; Zbl 0805.14014)] by reducing it to the case settled by Raynaud), which determines the finite quotients of \(\pi_1(C)\). The major part of the proof of the main result consists of a proof that \(N\) is homogeneous, i.e., that certain finite embedding problems for \(N\) are solvable. These embedding problems are first reduced to certain finite split embedding problems for \(\pi_1(C)\), some of which are then solved by means of patching, where patching results by \textit{M. Kumar} [``Fundamental group in nonzero characteristic'', \url{arXiv:math/0610093} (2006)] are used and generalized, and the remaining ones are solved by a result of \textit{F. Pop} [Invent. Math. 120, No. 3, 555--578 (1995; Zbl 0842.14017)], which strengthens Harbater's result that reduces the general Abhyankar Conjecture to the case settled by Raynaud. In addition to the results already mentioned, the authors also treat in more detail the special case where \(N\) is a characteristic subgroup of \(\pi_1(C)\), and they reprove the result of Kumar [loc. cit.] that the commutator subgroup of \(\pi_1(C)\) is isomorphic to \(F\). Moreover, the appendix simplifies the proof of a result of \textit{P. A. Zalesskii} [Isr. J. Math. 146, 111--123 (2005; Zbl 1076.20020)], eliminating `small but embarrassing errors', and the introduction contains a discussion of why the proof of the main result does not give a similar statement for smooth connected projective curves (rather than affine curves), and whether such a statement should hold at all.