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Inspired by the question

Does the moduli space of smooth curves of genus g contain an elliptic curve

and its amazing answers, I ask (pure out of curiosity) whether the moduli space $M_3$ of (smooth projective connected) curves of genus $3$ contains a (smooth projective connected) curve of genus $2$.

The existence of such a genus two curve is (Edit: stronger) than the existence of a surface $S$, a genus two curve $C$ and a smooth projective non-isotrivial morphism $S\to C$ whose fibres are genus three curves.

If the answer is positive, how explicit can our answer be made? I'm already aware of the fact that $M_g$ contains a complete curve for all $g\geq 3$. For instance, in the paper by Chris Zaal

http://dare.uva.nl/document/38546

many curves of some genus (I think 513) are shown to embed into $M_3$.

Of course, by Shafarevich' conjecture, if $K(C)$ denotes the function field of $C$, there are only finitely many $K(C)$-isomorphism classes of genus three curves over $K(C)$ with good reduction over $C$. I'm asking whether there exists some genus two curve $C$ such that there exists a genus three curve over $K(C)$ with good reduction over $C$.

Edit: the arithmetic analogue also has a negative answer.

The latter (weaker) phrasing of my question allows us to formulate an arithmetic analogue of the above question. (I know that I'm considering function fields over $\mathbf{C}$ and that some of you might argue function fields over $\mathbf{F}_p$ are a better analogue of number fields.) This arithmetic analogue reads as follows. There exists a number field of "genus two" such that there exist a genus three curve over $K$ with good reduction over the ring of integers of $K$. Here a number field of "genus two" should be a number field of absolute discriminant $e^2$. I'll take this to mean discriminant at most $8$.

Arithmetic analogue. (Abrashkin-Fontaine) There do not exist non-zero smooth abelian schemes over the ring of integers of a number field of absolute discriminant at most 8.

There are many related questions I'd also like to ask. For example, what is the minimal $g$ such that $M_g$ contains a genus two curve? Or, what is the minimal $g$ such that $M_3$ contains a genus $g$ curve? And, finally, is there an example of a complete curve in $M_g$ which is defined over $\overline{\mathbf{Q}}$? (Edit: The answer to the last question is positive. This is explained in the comments below.)

Inspired by the question

Does the moduli space of smooth curves of genus g contain an elliptic curve

and its amazing answers, I ask (pure out of curiosity) whether the moduli space $M_3$ of (smooth projective connected) curves of genus $3$ contains a (smooth projective connected) curve of genus $2$.

The existence of such a genus two curve is (Edit: stronger) than the existence of a surface $S$, a genus two curve $C$ and a smooth projective non-isotrivial morphism $S\to C$ whose fibres are genus three curves.

If the answer is positive, how explicit can our answer be made? I'm already aware of the fact that $M_g$ contains a complete curve for all $g\geq 3$. For instance, in the paper by Chris Zaal

http://dare.uva.nl/document/38546

many curves of some genus (I think 513) are shown to embed into $M_3$.

Of course, by Shafarevich' conjecture, if $K(C)$ denotes the function field of $C$, there are only finitely many non-isotrivial $K(C)$-isomorphism classes of genus three curves over $K(C)$ with good reduction over $C$. I'm asking whether there exists some genus two curve $C$ such that there exists a genus three curve over $K(C)$ with good reduction over $C$.

Edit: the arithmetic analogue also has a negative answer.

The latter (weaker) phrasing of my question allows us to formulate an arithmetic analogue of the above question. (I know that I'm considering function fields over $\mathbf{C}$ and that some of you might argue function fields over $\mathbf{F}_p$ are a better analogue of number fields.) This arithmetic analogue reads as follows. There exists a number field of "genus two" such that there exist a genus three curve over $K$ with good reduction over the ring of integers of $K$. Here a number field of "genus two" should be a number field of absolute discriminant $e^2$. I'll take this to mean discriminant at most $8$.

Arithmetic analogue. (Abrashkin-Fontaine) There do not exist non-zero smooth abelian schemes over the ring of integers of a number field of absolute discriminant at most 8.

There are many related questions I'd also like to ask. For example, what is the minimal $g$ such that $M_g$ contains a genus two curve? Or, what is the minimal $g$ such that $M_3$ contains a genus $g$ curve? And, finally, is there an example of a complete curve in $M_g$ which is defined over $\overline{\mathbf{Q}}$? (Edit: The answer to the last question is positive. This is explained in the comments below.)

Inspired by the question

Does the moduli space of smooth curves of genus g contain an elliptic curve

and its amazing answers, I ask (pure out of curiosity) whether the moduli space $M_3$ of (smooth projective connected) curves of genus $3$ contains a (smooth projective connected) curve of genus $2$.

The existence of such a genus two curve is (Edit: stronger) than the existence of a surface $S$, a genus two curve $C$ and a smooth projective non-isotrivial morphism $S\to C$ whose fibres are genus three curves.

If the answer is positive, how explicit can our answer be made? I'm already aware of the fact that $M_g$ contains a complete curve for all $g\geq 3$. For instance, in the paper by Chris Zaal

http://dare.uva.nl/document/38546

many curves of some genus (I think 513) are shown to embed into $M_3$.

Of course, by Shafarevich' conjecture, if $K(C)$ denotes the function field of $C$, there are only finitely many $K(C)$-isomorphism classes of genus three curves over $K(C)$ with good reduction over $C$. I'm asking whether there exists some genus two curve $C$ such that there exists a genus three curve over $K(C)$ with good reduction over $C$.

Edit: the arithmetic analogue also has a negative answer.

The latter (weaker) phrasing of my question allows us to formulate an arithmetic analogue of the above question. (I know that I'm considering function fields over $\mathbf{C}$ and that some of you might argue function fields over $\mathbf{F}_p$ are a better analogue of number fields.) This arithmetic analogue reads as follows. There exists a number field of "genus two" such that there exist a genus three curve over $K$ with good reduction over the ring of integers of $K$. Here a number field of "genus two" should be a number field of absolute discriminant $e^2$. I'll take this to mean discriminant at most $8$.

Arithmetic analogue. (Abrashkin-Fontaine) There do not exist non-zero smooth abelian schemes over the ring of integers of a number field of absolute discriminant at most 8.

There are many related questions I'd also like to ask. For example, what is the minimal $g$ such that $M_g$ contains a genus two curve? Or, what is the minimal $g$ such that $M_3$ contains a genus $g$ curve? And, finally, is there an example of a complete curve in $M_g$ which is defined over $\overline{\mathbf{Q}}$? (Edit: The answer to the last question is positive. This is explained in the comments below.)

Inspired by the question

Does the moduli space of smooth curves of genus g contain an elliptic curve

and its amazing answers, I ask (pure out of curiosity) whether the moduli space $M_3$ of (smooth projective connected) curves of genus $3$ contains a (smooth projective connected) curve of genus $2$.

The existence of such a genus two curve is (Edit: stronger) than the existence of a surface $S$, a genus two curve $C$ and a smooth projective non-isotrivial morphism $S\to C$ whose fibres are genus three curves.

If the answer is positive, how explicit can our answer be made? I'm already aware of the fact that $M_g$ contains a complete curve for all $g\geq 3$. For instance, in the paper by Chris Zaal

http://dare.uva.nl/document/38546

many curves of some genus (I think 513) are shown to embed into $M_3$.

Of course, by Shafarevich' conjecture, if $K(C)$ denotes the function field of $C$, there are only finitely many $K(C)$-isomorphism classes of genus three curves over $K(C)$ with good reduction over $C$. I'm asking whether there exists some genus two curve $C$ such that there exists a genus three curve over $K(C)$ with good reduction over $C$.

Edit: the arithmetic analogue also has a negative answer.

The latter (weaker) phrasing of my question allows us to formulate an arithmetic analogue of the above question. (I know that I'm considering function fields over $\mathbf{C}$ and that some of you might argue function fields over $\mathbf{F}_p$ are a better analogue of number fields.) This arithmetic analogue reads as follows. There exists a number field of "genus two" such that there exist a genus three curve over $K$ with good reduction over the ring of integers of $K$. Here a number field of "genus two" should be a number field of absolute discriminant $e^2$. I'll take this to mean discriminant at most $8$.

Arithmetic analogue. (Abrashkin-Fontaine) There do not exist non-zero smooth abelian schemes over the ring of integers of a number field of absolute discriminant at most 8.

There are many related questions I'd also like to ask. For example, what is the minimal $g$ such that $M_g$ contains a genus two curve? Or, what is the minimal $g$ such that $M_3$ contains a genus $g$ curve? And, finally, is there an example of a complete curve in $M_g$ which is defined over $\overline{\mathbf{Q}}$? (Edit: The answer to the last question is positive. This is explained in the comments below.)

Inspired by the question

Does the moduli space of smooth curves of genus g contain an elliptic curve

and its amazing answers, I ask (pure out of curiosity) whether the moduli space $M_3$ of (smooth projective connected) curves of genus $3$ contains a (smooth projective connected) curve of genus $2$.

The existence of such a genus two curve is (Edit: stronger) than the existence of a surface $S$, a genus two curve $C$ and a smooth projective non-isotrivial morphism $S\to C$ whose fibres are genus three curves.

If the answer is positive, how explicit can our answer be made? I'm already aware of the fact that $M_g$ contains a complete curve for all $g\geq 3$. For instance, in the paper by Chris Zaal

http://dare.uva.nl/document/38546

many curves of some genus (I think 513) are shown to embed into $M_3$.

Of course, by Shafarevich' conjecture, if $K(C)$ denotes the function field of $C$, there are only finitely many $K(C)$-isomorphism classes of genus three curves over $K(C)$ with good reduction over $C$. I'm asking whether there exists some genus two curve $C$ such that there exists a genus three curve over $K(C)$ with good reduction over $C$.

Edit: the arithmetic analogue also has a negative answer.

The latter (weaker) phrasing of my question allows us to formulate an arithmetic analogue of the above question. (I know that I'm considering function fields over $\mathbf{C}$ and that some of you might argue function fields over $\mathbf{F}_p$ are a better analogue of number fields.) This arithmetic analogue reads as follows. There exists a number field of "genus two" such that there exist a genus three curve over $K$ with good reduction over the ring of integers of $K$. Here a number field of "genus two" should be a number field of absolute discriminant $e^2$. I'll take this to mean discriminant at most $8$.

Arithmetic analogue. (Abrashkin-Fontaine) There do not exist smooth abelian schemes over the ring of integers of a number field of absolute discriminant at most 8.

There are many related questions I'd also like to ask. For example, what is the minimal $g$ such that $M_g$ contains a genus two curve? Or, what is the minimal $g$ such that $M_3$ contains a genus $g$ curve? And, finally, is there an example of a complete curve in $M_g$ which is defined over $\overline{\mathbf{Q}}$? (Edit: The answer to the last question is positive. This is explained in the comments below.)

Inspired by the question

Does the moduli space of smooth curves of genus g contain an elliptic curve

and its amazing answers, I ask (pure out of curiosity) whether the moduli space $M_3$ of (smooth projective connected) curves of genus $3$ contains a (smooth projective connected) curve of genus $2$.

The existence of such a genus two curve is (Edit: stronger) than the existence of a surface $S$, a genus two curve $C$ and a smooth projective non-isotrivial morphism $S\to C$ whose fibres are genus three curves.

If the answer is positive, how explicit can our answer be made? I'm already aware of the fact that $M_g$ contains a complete curve for all $g\geq 3$. For instance, in the paper by Chris Zaal

http://dare.uva.nl/document/38546

many curves of some genus (I think 513) are shown to embed into $M_3$.

Of course, by Shafarevich' conjecture, if $K(C)$ denotes the function field of $C$, there are only finitely many $K(C)$-isomorphism classes of genus three curves over $K(C)$ with good reduction over $C$. I'm asking whether there exists some genus two curve $C$ such that there exists a genus three curve over $K(C)$ with good reduction over $C$.

Edit: the arithmetic analogue also has a negative answer.

The latter (weaker) phrasing of my question allows us to formulate an arithmetic analogue of the above question. (I know that I'm considering function fields over $\mathbf{C}$ and that some of you might argue function fields over $\mathbf{F}_p$ are a better analogue of number fields.) This arithmetic analogue reads as follows. There exists a number field of "genus two" such that there exist a genus three curve over $K$ with good reduction over the ring of integers of $K$. Here a number field of "genus two" should be a number field of absolute discriminant $e^2$. I'll take this to mean discriminant at most $8$.

Arithmetic analogue. (Abrashkin-Fontaine) There do not exist non-zero smooth abelian schemes over the ring of integers of a number field of absolute discriminant at most 8.

There are many related questions I'd also like to ask. For example, what is the minimal $g$ such that $M_g$ contains a genus two curve? Or, what is the minimal $g$ such that $M_3$ contains a genus $g$ curve? And, finally, is there an example of a complete curve in $M_g$ which is defined over $\overline{\mathbf{Q}}$? (Edit: The answer to the last question is positive. This is explained in the comments below.)