Computation of the topological type of a real Riemann surface

Abstract

We present an algorithm for the computation of the topological type of a real compact Riemann surface associated to an algebraic curve, i.e., its genus and the properties of the set of fixed points of the anti-holomorphic involution $\tau$, namely, the number of its connected components, and whether this set divides the surface into one or two connected components. This is achieved by transforming an arbitrary canonical homology basis to a homology basis where the $\mathcal{A}$-cycles are invariant under the anti-holomorphic involution $\tau$.