2.II.23H

Riemann Surfaces
Part II, 2008

Explain what is meant by a divisor DD on a compact connected Riemann surface SS. Explain briefly what is meant by a canonical divisor. Define the degree of DD and the notion of linear equivalence between divisors. If two divisors on SS have the same degree must they be linearly equivalent? Give a proof or a counterexample as appropriate, stating accurately any auxiliary results that you require.

Define (D)\ell(D) for a divisor DD, and state the Riemann-Roch theorem. Deduce that the dimension of the space of holomorphic differentials is determined by the genus gg of SS and that the same is true for the degree of a canonical divisor. Show further that if g=2g=2 then SS admits a non-constant meromorphic function with at most two poles (counting with multiplicities).

[General properties of meromorphic functions and meromorphic differentials on SS may be used without proof if clearly stated.]