Automorphism groups of curves in characteristic $p>0$
Claus Lehr

Abstract: Together with Michel Matignon we have are studying automorphism groups of curves in positive characteristic $p$. One main result of this work is a theorem classifying the $p$-Sylow subgroups of the automorphism groups of Artin-Schreier covers of the affine line. This result is the starting point to understand curves with 'big $p$-group actions'. For this let $(X,G)$ be a $k$-curve together with a $p$-group $G$ of automorphisms acting on $X$. We say that $(X,G)$ satisfies the Nakajima condition (N) if the genus $g_X > 0$ and $|G|/g_X > 2p/(p-1)$. This condition says that the size of $G$ is big with respect to the genus of the curve. We have first results concerning this big actions.