On holomorphic polydifferentials in positive characteristic

Abstract

In this paper we study the space $\Omega(m)$, of holomorphic $m$-(poly)differentials of a function field of a curve defined over an algebraically closed field of characteristic $p>0$ when $G$ is cyclic or elementary abelian group of order $p^n$; we give bases for each case when the base field is rational, introduce the Boseck invariants and give an elementary approach to the $G$ module structure of $\Omega(m)$ in terms of Boseck invariants. The last computation is achieved without any restriction on the base field in the cyclic case, while in the elementary abelian case it is assumed that the base field is rational. An application to the computation of the tangent space of the deformation functor of curves with automorphisms is given.