Galois actions on models of curves

Abstract

We study group actions on regular models of curves. If $X$ is a smooth curve defined over the fraction field $K$ of a complete d.v.r. $R$, every tamely ramified extension $K'/K$ with Galois group $G$ induces a $G$-action on $X_{K'}$. In this paper we study the extension of this $G$-action to certain regular models of $X_{K'}$. In particular, we obtain a formula for the Brauer trace of the endomorphism induced by a group element on the alternating sum of the cohomology groups of the structure sheaf of the special fiber of such a regular model. Inspired by this global study, we also consider similar questions for Galois actions on the exceptional locus of a tame cyclic quotient singularity. We apply these results to study a natural filtration of the special fiber of the N\'eron model of the Jacobian of $X$ by closed, unipotent subgroup schemes. We show that the jumps in this filtration only depend on the fiber type of the special fiber of the minimal regular model with strict normal crossings for $X$ over $\Spec(R)$, and in particular are independent of the residue characteristic. Furthermore, we obtain information about where these jumps occur. We also compute the jumps for each of the finitely many possible fiber type for curves of genus 1 and 2.