1
$\begingroup$

(all morphism here means birational)

(the ground field is "small", but I don't think it should matter)

Here is the picture. I have a morphism $f:\mathbb{P}^{1}\rightarrow\mathbb{P}^{1}$. I want to lift this up to a morphism $\tilde{f}:C\rightarrow E$ where $C$ is a curve and $E$ is an elliptic curve with projection $\pi_{C}:C\rightarrow\mathbb{P}^{1}$ and $\pi_{E}:E\rightarrow\mathbb{P}^{1}$, so that we have a commutative diagram $f\circ\pi_{C}=\pi_{E}\circ\tilde{f}$. Now, most of these are not fixed. A few things are fixed: the degree of $\pi_{C}$ is fixed at some numbers $d$ independent of $f$, the degree of $\pi_{E}$ is fixed at 2, but other than that $C,E,\pi_{C},\pi{E},\tilde{f}$ we are allowed to freely choose dependent on $f$.

So my actual question is: is there any $d$ in which this lifting can be done "often", in the sense that it is non-special, ie. failure to lift is not a generic property? Or is this just always false?

I previously tried this for $d=2$, $C$ being (another) elliptic curve, and $\pi_{C}$ be the x-coordinate, but this gives a strong restriction on $f$, that is ramification points of $f$ must lift to $2n$-torsion points on $C$, and thus knowing $2$ points gives us at most $4n^{2}$ possible elliptic curves.

$\endgroup$
2
  • $\begingroup$ Should $\pi_E$ be $E \to \mathbb P^1$? Is your lifting the same thing as a commutative diagram involving $f, \tilde{f}, \pi_C,$ and $\pi_E$? $\endgroup$
    – Will Sawin
    Commented Apr 14, 2023 at 20:15
  • $\begingroup$ @WillSawin: thank you, that's my typo. $\endgroup$ Commented Apr 14, 2023 at 20:34

1 Answer 1

3
$\begingroup$

$\newcommand{\CC}{\mathbb C}$If there is a commutative diagram as requested, then there is also one with $C$ and $\pi_C$ replaced by $C'$ and $\pi_{C'}$, where $\pi_{C'}$ has degree $2$ by letting $C'$ be a connected component of the fiber product of $f$ and $\pi_E$.

Or in terms of function fields, with $x$ a transcendental over $\CC$ and $t=f(x)$: The fields $\CC(x)$ and $\CC(E)$ are intermediate fields of $\CC(t)$ and $\CC(C)$. Now define $C'$ by the new intermediate field $\CC(C')=\CC(x, E)$. Note that $[\CC(C'):\CC(x)]=2$, so $\pi_{C'}$ has degree $2$.

So one is reduced to the case $d=2$. And there is always a cover as requested: Start with any $E$ and $\pi_E$, let $L$ be an algebraic extension of $\CC(t)$ which contains $\CC(x)$ and $\CC(E)$, and define $C$ by $\CC(C)=\CC(x,E)\subseteq L$.

But for generic functions $f$, like Morse functions, the genus of $C$ goes to infinity which $\operatorname{deg} f$. So there is probably little use of the lift $\tilde f$.

$\endgroup$
4
  • $\begingroup$ Sorry, I think maybe I misunderstood this answer, so let me ask a clarification questions. It seems to me like your argument about the genus of $C$ involves only looking at the ramifications of $f\circ\pi_{C}$. Don't we need to make use of the fact that $E$ is an elliptic curve somewhere? Because if we allows $E$ to be a non-elliptic curve, such as $\mathbb{P}^{1}$ then it's definitely always possible. $\endgroup$ Commented Apr 14, 2023 at 21:54
  • $\begingroup$ @question-asker If you replace $E$ by $\mathbb P^1$, and keep the assumption that the degree of the map $\pi_E$ (so the $E$ now is $\mathbb P^1$) is bigger than $1$, you still will have the genus of $C$ go to infinity. $\endgroup$ Commented Apr 14, 2023 at 22:05
  • $\begingroup$ Do you might expanding your answer? Because I still don't understand it. I guess I'm having trouble seeing how $\pi_{E}$ came into play. Because, for example, I could make $C$ has genus 1 without having the branch point of $\pi_{E}$ being among the branch point of $f$ (of course here the condition is that $f$ must correspond to $n$-torsion points which is still special). $\endgroup$ Commented Apr 14, 2023 at 22:23
  • $\begingroup$ @question-asker I revised the answer. The point is that you can always reduce to the case $d=2$. $\endgroup$ Commented Apr 15, 2023 at 9:27

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .