Wild ramification kinks

Abstract

Given a branched cover $f:Y\to X$ between smooth projective curves over a non-archimedian mixed-characteristic local field and an open rigid disk $D\subset X$, we study the question under which conditions the inverse image $f^{-1}(D)$ is again an open disk. More generally, if the cover $f$ varies in an analytic family, is this true at least for some member of the family? Our main result gives a criterion for this to happen.