Counting the number of trigonal curves of genus 5 over finite fields

Abstract

The trigonal curves of genus 5 can be represented by projective plane quintics that have 1 singularity of delta invariant 1. Combining this with a partial sieve method for plane curves we count the number of such curves over any finite field. The main application is that this then gives the motivic Euler characteristic of the moduli space of trigonal curves of genus 5.