Faltings delta-invariant and semistable degeneration

Abstract

We determine the asymptotic behavior of the Arakelov metric, the Arakelov-Green's function, and the Faltings delta-invariant for arbitrary one-parameter families of complex curves with semistable degeneration. The leading terms in the asymptotics are given a combinatorial interpretation in terms of S. Zhang's theory of admissible Green's functions on polarized metrized graphs.