Paper 4, Section II, H

Algebraic Geometry
Part II, 2014

Let XX be a smooth projective curve of genus g>0g>0 over an algebraically closed field of characteristic 2\neq 2, and suppose there is a degree 2 morphism π:XP1\pi: X \rightarrow \mathbf{P}^{1}. How many ramification points of π\pi are there?

Suppose QQ and RR are distinct ramification points of π\pi. Show that QRQ \nsim R, but 2Q2R2 Q \sim 2 R.

Now suppose g=2g=2. Show that every divisor of degree 2 on XX is linearly equivalent to P+PP+P^{\prime} for some P,PXP, P^{\prime} \in X, and deduce that every divisor of degree 0 is linearly equivalent to P1P2P_{1}-P_{2} for some P1,P2XP_{1}, P_{2} \in X.

Show that the subgroup {[D]Cl0(X)2[D]=0}\left\{[D] \in C l^{0}(X) \mid 2[D]=0\right\} of the divisor class group of XX has order 16.16 .