Suppose a nonconstant holomorphic map 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 , 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 has degree of a holomorphic map two. At a simple zero of , is a local coordinate and , so . At infinity set and : then . There are two points with , , each unramified since is a local coordinate. The four finite roots are therefore all the branch values of a holomorphic map.[ref]
Geometry of Surfaces by Nigel Hitchin (B3a course 2013). Section 3.3, printed pp. 41-43: local coordinates at simple roots, two points at infinity for even polynomial degree, and ramification count
Cell-count schematic for a double cover of the sphere with four simple branch values: four vertices, twelve edges and eight faces upstairs
. Details. 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 . Upstairs, each vertex has one preimage and each open edge and face has two lifts: , giving Euler characteristic . This is a cell schematic, not a geometric immersion of . 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]
Geometry of Surfaces by Nigel Hitchin (B3a course 2013). Section 3.2, Theorem 3.2 and its triangulation proof, printed pp. 38-39
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 ii Paper 1 24F Solution Created 2026-09-23 Updated 2026-09-25
A germ of a holomorphic function at is an equivalence class of pairs consisting of a neighbourhood of and a holomorphic function . Two pairs represent the same germ if their functions agree on some neighbourhood of .
The space of germs of holomorphic functions isFor every holomorphic on an open , the setis declared open; these sets form a basis. The forgetful mapmaps each homeomorphically onto . The inverses of these restrictions give the charts defining the complex structure, so is a local biholomorphism.
The evaluation map isIt is well-defined by the germ equivalence relation. On the chart , its coordinate expression iswhich is holomorphic. Hence is analytic, as stated in evaluation map on a space of germs.
Now putThis gives the germ surface of the square root of z to the eighth minus one. An explicit gluing description is obtained by pairing the eight roots into four adjacent pairs and cutting the plane along four disjoint arcs joining the members of each pair. On the complement of the cuts choose one branch of . Take two copies, labelled by and , and glue the upper bank of each cut in one copy to the lower bank in the other, and conversely. The cut interiors are restored by the gluing, while the eight endpoints remain absent because they are not in .
On this surface defineFor each , the holomorphic function is nonzero near , so it has a unique local square root with . DefineThis is well-defined, injective, and analytic in the displayed local sheets; its inverse on its image is . Thus is the required analytic embedding, and it intertwines both the forgetful and evaluation maps.
To compactify, first add one point above each of the eight roots of unity. These are simple branch points of the double cover. Since the polynomial has even degree eight, the even-degree hyperelliptic model has two distinct, unbranched points above infinity. Consequently
Finally apply the Riemann-Hurwitz formula to the degree-two meromorphic map . Its only ramification consists of the eight simple finite branch points, soThereforeThis is the compactification of y squared equals x to the eighth minus one.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2025 ii Paper 4 24J Solution Created 2026-09-23 Updated 2026-09-25
For a divisor on a smooth projective curve , defineThe Riemann-Roch theorem stateswhere is the divisor of a nonzero rational differential, is the genus of , and is the sum of the divisor coefficients because the ground field is algebraically closed.
Under the coordinate change and , we haveHenceThis is a polynomial, and its value at zero is the nonzero leading coefficient of . Thus the even-degree hyperelliptic model has two points above , distinguished by the two values of .
Consider the rational differentialAt a finite branch point , square-freeness gives a local parameter , with a nonzero constant times to first order. Hence is regular and nonzero there. It is also regular and nonzero at finite unramified points.
At infinity,soBecause and is a local parameter at each point, has a zero of order at both. Therefore the canonical divisor of an even-degree hyperelliptic curve isand
The function has a simple pole at each of and . ConsequentlyThese functions are linearly independent. Riemann-Roch with gives , so
With respect to this basis, the canonical map of a hyperelliptic curve isIt identifies with for general , and hence is not an embedding.
If embedded in , its smooth plane image would have degree : degrees one and two have genus zero, and degree three has genus one, whereas . But the canonical map of a smooth plane curve of degree is an embedding by adjunction, contradicting the preceding calculation. Therefore
