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For a nonconstant rational map between round unit Riemann spheres, $R^{\ast }d\Omega =J_{R}d\Omega$. Counting inverse images with multiplicity gives $\int J_{R}d\Omega =4\pi \mathrm{deg}R$. The Jacobian determinant vanishes at ramification points of a holomorphic map, but the integral still records the global degree of a holomorphic map.

Suppose a nonconstant holomorphic map $f:X\to {\mathbb{P}}^1$ from a connected compact Riemann surface has degree of a holomorphic map two and exactly four distinct branch values of a holomorphic map. The valency theorem forces each of their fibres to contain one ramification point with $e_p=2$, a simple ramification point of a holomorphic map. HenceThis determines the genus without recognizing a torus in a drawing.

A concrete realization is the compact Riemann surface obtained by adding the two points at infinity to the even-degree hyperelliptic model given by the algebraic curveProjection to $z$ has degree of a holomorphic map two. At a simple zero $a$ of $P$, $w$ is a local coordinate and $z-a=w^2/P^{\prime }(a)+O(w^4)$, so $e_p=2$. At infinity set $u=1/z$ and $s=w/z^2$: then $s^2=(1-4u^2)(1-u^2)$. There are two points with $u=0$, $s=\pm 1$, each unramified since $u$ is a local coordinate. The four finite roots are therefore all the branch values of a holomorphic map.^[ref]

Choose a triangulation of a surface on the Riemann sphere with these four branch values of a holomorphic map as vertices, combinatorially the boundary of a tetrahedron. Its counts are $V=4,E=6,F=4$. Upstairs, each vertex has one preimage and each open edge and face has two lifts: $V_X=4,E_X=12,F_X=8$, giving Euler characteristic $4-12+8=0$. This is a cell schematic, not a geometric immersion of $X$. The Triangulation proof of the Riemann-Hurwitz formula applies the same counting idea after refining a general triangulation of a surface around the branch values of a holomorphic map.^[ref]

Let $x\in X$ and choose holomorphic coordinate charts centred at $x$ and $f(x)$. A nonconstant holomorphic map has a local expansion $w\circ f(z)=c{z}^m+O(z^{m+1})$, where $c\ne 0$ and $m\ge 1$. Taking a local holomorphic $m$th root of the nonvanishing factor and changing the source coordinate gives the exact local form $w=z^m$. The integeris the ramification index of a holomorphic map. A ramification point of a holomorphic map is a source point with ${\nu }_f(x)>1$, equivalently where its derivative vanishes; a branch value of a holomorphic map, also called a branch point here, is the image of such a point in $Y$. These are different sets, one in the source and one in the target.

Every fiber of a function is finite: locally it is the zero set of a nonzero holomorphic function, so its points are isolated, and compactness prevents infinitely many such zeros without an accumulation point. The same argument applied to the local derivatives makes the set of ramification points of a holomorphic map finite. The open mapping theorem and compactness show that $f(X)$ is both open and closed in the connected target $Y$, hence $f$ is surjective.

For any $y\in Y$, the degree of a holomorphic map isTo see independence of $y$, choose disjoint small coordinate charts about its finitely many preimages. The local form $z\mapsto z^{{\nu }_f(x)}$ shows that nearby values have ${\nu }_f(x)$ preimages counted with multiplicity in the corresponding chart. Compactness excludes additional preimages outside these charts for sufficiently nearby values: a sequence of such preimages would have a limit in $f^{-1}(y)$. The displayed sum is therefore locally constant, hence constant on connected $Y$. Away from branch values of a holomorphic map it is the ordinary number of preimages, and $f$ is a $d$-sheeted covering map there.

The Riemann-Hurwitz formula isor, in terms of the two genera,For its proof, choose a triangulation of a surface on $Y$ containing every branch value of a holomorphic map among its vertices. Every open edge and open face has $d$ lifts, since its interior avoids branch values of a holomorphic map. The lifted cells give a finite CW complex structure on $X$. If $V_Y,E_Y,F_Y$ are the target counts and $R={\sum }_x({\nu }_f(x)-1)$, the source counts areIndeed, at a target vertex the deficit from $d$ distinct preimages is precisely ${\sum }_{x\mapsto y}({\nu }_f(x)-1)$, and all nonzero contributions occur over vertices. Taking the alternating sum gives $\chi (X)=d(V_Y-E_Y+F_Y)-R$, as required. This is the Triangulation proof of the Riemann-Hurwitz formula.

In a cyclic group of prime order $p$, a stabilizer subgroup has order either one or $p$. The latter case consists exactly of points fixed by all of $G$. Thus the $n$ fixed points each have ramification index of a holomorphic map $p$, and every other point has index one. Applying the Riemann-Hurwitz formula with degree of a holomorphic map $p$ givesEquivalently,The count $n$ concerns fixed points upstairs. Each is its own group orbit, so their images are also $n$ distinct branch values of a holomorphic map.

For a free action of a group, every stabilizer subgroup is trivial. Hence every ramification index of a holomorphic map is one, and the projection is an unramified covering map of degree of a holomorphic map $|G|$. The Riemann-Hurwitz formula reduces toThis is also the multiplicativity of Euler characteristic under a finite covering.

For a nonconstant holomorphic map $f:X\to Y$ between compact connected Riemann surfaces, its degree of a holomorphic map is the number of preimages of a regular value. More generally it is the constant sum ${\sum }_{p\in f^{-1}(q)}{e}_p$, where $e_p$ is the local multiplicity. The Riemann-Hurwitz formula is

Negation is well-defined on the complex torus because $-\Lambda =\Lambda$. It is holomorphic with holomorphic inverse itself, so $\psi$ is biholomorphic. Its fixed points satisfy $2z\in \Lambda$. If $\Lambda =\mathbb{Z}{\omega }_1+\mathbb{Z}{\omega }_2$, they are the four distinct classes

Away from these points, choose a small coordinate disk $U$ disjoint from $\psi (U)$. The quotient map is a homeomorphism from $U$ onto $\pi (U)$, so transfer its complex coordinate to that open set of $S^{\prime }$. The transition between two such lifted charts is induced either by identity or by $\psi$, hence is holomorphic. These charts give the required Riemann-surface structure, and $\pi$ is locally a holomorphic bijection there.

The quotient has generic degree two. At a fixed point, a local coordinate centred there changes under $\psi$ as $u\mapsto -u$. The assumed holomorphic quotient map is invariant under this operation, so its local expansion is even and has multiplicity at least two. Since the total degree is two, it is exactly two. There are no other ramification points. The domain torus has genus one, so Riemann-Hurwitz formula gives

For a nonconstant holomorphic map $f:X\to Y$ between compact connected Riemann surfaces, its degree iswhere $e_x$ is the ramification index of a holomorphic map at $x$. The valency theorem makes this sum independent of $y\in Y$. The Riemann-Hurwitz formula is

Write $E=\mathbb{C}/\Lambda$. The map $\psi (z+\Lambda )=-z+\Lambda$ is well-defined and biholomorphic, with ${\psi }^2=\mathrm{id}$. Its fixed points satisfyThey are therefore indexed by $\frac{1}{2}\Lambda /\Lambda \cong (\mathbb{Z}/2\mathbb{Z}{)}^2$, so there are four, as in the negation map on a one-dimensional complex torus.

For each $x\in E^{\prime }$ choose a small open disc $U_x$ for which $U_x\cap \psi (U_x)=\varnothing$. The projection restricts to a homeomorphismUse $(p{|}_{U_x}{)}^{-1}$ followed by a holomorphic coordinate on $U_x$ as a chart on $p(U_x)$. Choosing $\psi (U_x)$ instead changes this coordinate by the holomorphic map induced by $\psi$, so the transition functions are holomorphic. These charts make $S^{\prime }$ a Riemann surface and $p:E^{\prime }\to S^{\prime }$ a holomorphic double covering map.

At each omitted fixed point, a centred local coordinate changes by $z\mapsto -z$, so the invariant quotient coordinate is $w=z^2$. Hence the extension has degree two and exactly four ramification points, each with $e_x=2$. Since the complex torus $E$ has genus one, Riemann--Hurwitz givesThus $\boxed{g_S=0}$, in agreement with the general quotient of a one-dimensional complex torus by negation.

Let $H$ denote a hyperplane-section divisor of a projective plane curve. The adjunction formula for a smooth degree-$d$ projective plane curve statesSince $\mathrm{deg}(H{|}_C)=d$, this gives the canonical degree of a smooth plane curveCombining this with $\mathrm{deg}{K}_C=2g-2$ gives the genus of a smooth plane curve

Homogenization of the affine equation gives the projective completionThis is the plane model y plus x cubed plus xy cubed equals zero of the Klein quartic: after the coordinate relabelling $[A:B:C]=[Y:X:Z]$, its equation is $A^{3}B+B^{3}C+C^{3}A=0$.

Its first partial derivatives areIf one of $X,Y,Z$ vanishes at a common zero of these three derivatives, the displayed equations successively force all three coordinates to vanish, which is impossible in projective space. If $XYZ\ne 0$, multiplying the three derivative equations givesagain a contradiction. The Jacobian criterion therefore proves that $C$ is smooth.

The rational function $y=Y/Z$ defines a rational map of projective varieties $C⇢{\mathbb{P}}^1$. Because $C$ is a smooth projective curve, it extends uniquely to a morphismFor a generic finite value of $y$, its fibre is given by the cubicso the degree of a holomorphic map is $3$. The discriminant of a depressed cubic is

At $y=0$ the fibre consists of $(0,0)$. Since $F_y(0,0)=1$, the holomorphic implicit function theorem givesso $x$ is a local coordinate and $\pi$ has ramification index of a holomorphic map $3$ there. Each of the seven distinct roots of $4y^7+27$ gives one double, but not triple, root of the cubic in $x$, hence seven further ramification points of index $2$.

It remains to inspect the points at infinity. They areNear $Q$, set $u=X/Y$ and $v=Z/Y$. The equation becomes $u^{3}v+u+v^3=0$, so $u=-v^3+O(v^{10})$, while $y=1/v$ has a simple pole. Thus $e_Q=1$. Near $P$, set $s=Y/X$ and $t=Z/X$. Now $t+s^3+s{t}^3=0$, so $t=-s^3+O(s^{10})$ andThus $y$ has a double pole at $P$ and $e_P=2$. These calculations are the ramification of the x-coordinate on the Klein quartic after the coordinate relabelling above.

The total ramification contribution isThe Riemann-Hurwitz formula for the degree-three map to the projective line now givesand therefore

An irreducible complex analytic hypersurface in a complex manifold $X$ is a closed irreducible analytic subset of pure complex codimension one. A local defining function of a complex analytic hypersurface $Y$ at $x$ is a holomorphic function $f$ on a neighbourhood $U$ such thatThe necessary local algebra is that the stalk ${\mathcal{O}}_{X,x}$ is a regular local ring, hence a unique factorization domain, and that the local branches of a hypersurface germ determine finitely many height-one prime ideals. Each is principal; the product of their generators gives $f$, and removing repeated factors makes it reduced. This also covers a globally irreducible hypersurface that has several local branches at a singular point.

A divisor on a complex manifold is a locally finite formal sum $D={\sum }_Y{n}_{Y}Y$ of irreducible analytic hypersurfaces with integer coefficients. On a sufficiently small $U_{\alpha }$, local defining functions give a meromorphic equation $f_{\alpha }$ for $D$. The quotients $f_{\alpha }/f_{\beta }$ are nowhere-zero holomorphic functions. Gluing frames byproduces the holomorphic line bundle associated to a divisor $[D]$, and $f_{\alpha }{e}_{\alpha }$ gives its canonical meromorphic section with divisor $D$.

The Euler sequence on complex projective spaceimplies $\det T{\mathbb{CP}}^n\cong \mathcal{O}(n+1)$. Taking the dual determinant yields the canonical bundle of complex projective spacewhere $H$ is a hyperplane divisor.

The hypotheses on the homogeneous polynomial $p$ say thatis a smooth projective hypersurface of degree $k$, so its divisor line bundle is $[V]\cong \mathcal{O}(kH)$. The adjunction formula givesThis is the canonical bundle of a smooth projective hypersurface.

Now fix an isomorphism $\Phi :[P]\to [Q]$ and regard $s_P$ and ${\Phi }^{-1}{s}_Q$ as holomorphic sections of the same holomorphic line bundle. They have no common zero because $P\ne Q$. Their homogeneous coordinates therefore define a well-defined holomorphic mapIn a local frame, the quotientis a meromorphic function with divisor $(f)=P-Q$. Thus $F^{-1}(0)=P$ and $F^{-1}(\infty )=Q$, both with multiplicity one. The degree of a holomorphic map $F$ is therefore one. A nonconstant degree-one holomorphic map between compact connected Riemann surfaces is a biholomorphism, so the displayed map is biholomorphic.

If $F:X\to Y$ is a nonconstant holomorphic map between compact connected Riemann surfaces, its local degree at $p$ is the integer $m_F(p)\ge 1$ for which suitable local coordinates giveThe valency theorem states thatis independent of $y\in Y$. This common value is the degree of a holomorphic map, denoted $\mathrm{deg}F$.

Now let $f$ be a nonconstant rational function of degree $d$. If its distinct finite poles have orders $m_1,\dots ,m_r$, and its pole order at infinity is $m_{\infty }\ge 0$, thenThe derivative $f^{\prime }$ has a pole of order $m_j+1$ at each finite pole. When $m_{\infty }>0$, the expansion $f(z)\sim c{z}^{m_{\infty }}$ shows that $f^{\prime }(z)\sim c{m}_{\infty }{z}^{m_{\infty }-1}$ at infinity. Hence the degree of the derivative of a rational function isIn the first case $r\ge 0$, while in the second $1\le r\le d$; thereforeFor every $d\ge 1$, the lower bound is attained by $f(z)=z^d$, whose derivative has degree $d-1$ (with a constant assigned degree zero). For distinct $a_1,\dots ,a_d$, the functionhas $d$ simple poles, degree $d$, and a derivative with $d$ double poles, so $\mathrm{deg}{f}^{\prime }=2d$. Thus both rational bounds are sharp for every $d$.

Let next $g$ be a nonconstant elliptic function for the period lattice $\Lambda$. Its degree is the total order of its poles in a fundamental parallelogram; by the valency theorem, this is also the degree of the induced map $\mathbb{C}/\Lambda \to \hat{\mathbb{C}}$. If these poles have orders $n_1,\dots ,n_s$, then $d=\mathrm{deg}g={\sum }_j{n}_j$, and $g^{\prime }$ has poles of orders $n_j+1$. The degree of the derivative of an elliptic function is consequentlySince every nonconstant elliptic function has at least one pole and $1\le s\le d$,

Let $d\ge 3$ be odd. The Weierstrass elliptic function supplies the lower-bound exampleIt has one pole modulo $\Lambda$, of order $d$, so its derivative has one pole of order $d+1$. For the upper bound, choose distinct points $a_1,\dots ,a_d$ modulo $\Lambda$ and nonzero constants $c_j$ with ${\sum }_j{c}_j=0$. The quasi-periodicity of the Weierstrass zeta function makeselliptic. It has exactly $d$ simple poles, while $g^{\prime }$ has $d$ double poles. Therefore the two bounds are attained for every required odd degree.

For an integer $d\ge 2$, extend $f(z)=z^d$ to a holomorphic map from the Riemann sphere to itself with $f(\infty )=\infty$. A nonzero finite regular value has $d$ distinct preimages, so the degree of a holomorphic map is $d$. At zero the analytic ramification index is $d$. At infinity, use local coordinates $u=1/z$ upstairs and $v=1/f(z)$ downstairs: the same holomorphic map becomes $v=u^d$, so $e_{\infty }=d$ too. Everywhere else the derivative $d{z}^{d-1}$ is nonzero.

There are two distinct ramification points and two distinct branch values of a holomorphic map, butFor $d=3$, the total ramification of a holomorphic map is four, not two. The local-circle panel shows three nearby preimages converging to the single ramification point. For $d=1$ the holomorphic map is the identity and neither zero nor infinity is ramified.

For a degree-$d$ holomorphic map, $2g_X-2=d(2g_Y-2)+\sum (e_p-1)$.

Let $f:X\to Y$ be a nonconstant holomorphic map between compact Riemann surfaces that are connected spaces, without boundary. Write $g_X,g_Y$ for their genera and $d\ge 1$ for the degree of a holomorphic map. With analytic ramification index $e_p$ at each $p\in X$, the formula isHere $\chi =2-2g$ is the Euler characteristic. Only finitely many ramification points contribute. The holomorphic map is automatically surjective; the valency theorem gives ${\sum }_{p\in f^{-1}(y)}{e}_p=d$ even at a branch value of a holomorphic map. Constant maps are excluded.^[ref]

The useful interpretation is that total ramification of a holomorphic map measures how much the source Euler characteristic falls short of $d$ copies of the target. The ramification of a power map of the Riemann sphere spends that entire correction at two points; the double cover of the sphere with four branch values spends it at four points and produces a genus-one surface.

Count ramification points upstairs in $X$, weighted by $e_p-1$, rather than counting distinct branch values of a holomorphic map downstairs in $Y$. Grouping by fibres givesThe cardinality counts distinct points; the degree of a holomorphic map counts them with their analytic ramification indices. Thus each summand is the number of missing distinct preimages in that fibre.^[ref]

The phrase branch point varies across conventions: to keep the two surfaces distinct, use ramification point for $p\in X$ and branch value of a holomorphic map for $f(p)\in Y$. The existing name branch point of a holomorphic map here denotes the latter. Several ramification points can share one branch value of a holomorphic map.