The main textbook for this course is Algebraic Curves and Riemann
Surfaces by Rick Miranda, Graduate Studies in Mathematics, Volume 5,
AMS (1995). The lectures will cover the following topics:
Math 530 - Fall 1998
Riemann Surfaces: basic definitions
First few examples: Riemann Sphere, complex tori, graphs of
holomorphic functions, and smooth affine plane curves
Projective curves: smooth projective plane curves and
(local) complete intersections
Functions on Riemann surfaces: holomorphic and meromorphic
functions
Examples of meromorphic functions: Riemann Sphere,
complex tori, smooth plane, and smooth projective curves.
Holomorphic maps between Riemann surfaces:
isomorphism and automorphisms, Euler number, Hurwitz's formula
Further examples examples: lines and conics,
hyperelliptic Riemann surfaces, resolving nodes of a plane curve,
resolving monomial singularities, cyclic coverings of the line.
Group actions on Riemann surfaces:
quotient map and quotient Riemann surface, ramification of the quotient
map, Hurwitz's theorem on automorphisms
Monodromy: holomorphic maps and coverings via monodromy
representations, examples
Differential forms on Riemann surfaces:
holomorphic and meromorphic 1- and 2-forms
Differential calculus on forms: differentials and wedge products
Integration on a Riemann surface:residue of a meromorphic 1-form,
Stoke's theorem.
Math 531 - Spring 1999
Divisors:principal and canonical divisors,
degree of a divisor, divisors of holomorphic maps, intersection divisors,
and hyperplane divisors
Linear equivalence of divisors: degree of a smooth
projective curve, Bezout's theorem, Pascal's mystic hexagon,
Plücker's formula
The space L(D): complete linear systems and linear systems,
pencils and webs
Divisors and holomorphic maps to projective spaces:
defining a holomorphic map via a linear system, criteria for the
holomorphic map associated to the complete linear system |D| to be
an embedding
Algebraic curves: function field on an algebraic curve,
Laurent tail divisors and Mittag-Leffler problem
Riemann-Roch theorem and Serre duality: the equality of the
three genera
Applications of Riemann-Roch theorem: genus zero, one, and two
curves,
Clifford theorem, canonical map and the geometric form of
Riemann-Roch, dimension of the moduli space of algebraic curves of
genus g, degree of projective curves, inflection points and
Weierstrass points
Abel's theorem: homology, periods and the Jacobian,
the Able-Jacobi map, residue theorem, proof of Abel's theorem,
Abel's theorem for genus one curves
Recommended reading during and after this course
Complex Algebraic Curves, by Frances Kirwan,
Cambridge University Press (1992).
Basic Algebraic Geometry, Volumes 1&2,
by Igor R. Shafarevich, Springer-Verlag (1994).
Conics and Cubics, A Concrete Introduction to
Algebraic Curves, by Robert Bix,
Springer-Verlag (1998).
Algebraic Geometry, A First Course, by Joe Harris,
Springer-Verlag (1992).
Algebraic Geometry, by Robin Hartshorne,
Springer-Verlag (1987).
Principles of Algebraic Geometry, by Philip Griffiths and
Joseph Harris, John Wiley (1978).
Geometry of Algebraic Curves, Volume I,
by E. Arbarello, M. Cornalba, P. A. Griffiths, and J. Harris,
Springer-Verlag 1985.
Rational Curves on Algebraic Varieties,
by János Kollár, Springer-Verlag (1996).
Algebraic Geometry. V, A. N. Parishin, and I. R. Shafarevich,
Eds., Encyclopedia of Mathematical Sciences, 47,
Springer-Verlag (1999).