A Geometric Invariant Theory Compactification of M_{g,n} Via the Fulton-MacPherson Configuration Space

Abstract

A compactification over $\overline{M}_g$ of $M_{g,n}$ is obtained by considering the relative Fulton-MacPherson configuration space of the universal curve. The resulting compactification differs from the Deligne-Mumford space $\overline{M}_{g,n}$. In case $n=2$, the compactification constructed here and the Deligne-Mumford compactification are essentially the distinct minimal resolutions of the fiber product over $\overline{M}_g$ of the universal curve with itself.