On the arithmetic of genus 4 curves

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Jiahui Gao, Princeton
IAS - Simonyi Hall 101

We propose and study a new arithmetic invariant of non-hyperelliptic genus-4 curves: a canonical听鈥渜uadratic鈥 point on the Jacobian, defined by the two natural degree-2 maps to projective lines.听Building on Xue鈥檚 result, that this point is generically non-torsion, we introduce a height-theoretic听notion of bigness for families of curves in the moduli space of genus听four听curves, and give a criterion,听via听dimensions of modular quotients,听for when it holds. We then exhibit two concrete 3- and 4-parameter听families (the bi-involutions locus and a CM example) in which the canonical point is provably big, from听which we deduce the finiteness of low-height curves and non-torsion at transcendental moduli. Our听methods combine adelic Arakelov intersection theory with a generic Betti-rank argument.