Automorphisms of generalized Fermat curves

Let K be an algebraically closed field of characteristic p >= 0. A generalized Fermat curve of type (k, n), where k, n >= 2 are integers (for p not equal 0 we also assume that k is relatively prime to p), is a non-singular irreducible projective algebraic curve F-k,F-n defined over K admitting a group of automorphisms H congruent to Z(k)(n) so that D-k,D-n/H is the projective line with exactly (n + 1) cone points, each one of order k. Such a group H is called a generalized Fermat group of type (k, n). If (n - 1)(k - 1) > 2, then F-k,F-n has genus g(n,k) > 1 and it is known to be non-hyperelliptic. In this paper, we prove that every generalized Fermat curve of type (k, n) has a unique generalized Fermat group of type (k, n) if (k - 1)(n - 1) > 2 (for p > 0 we also assume that k - 1 is not a power of p). Generalized Fermat curves of type (k, n) can be described as a suitable fiber product of (n - 1) classical Fermat curves of degree k. We prove that, for (k - 1) (n - 1) > 2 (for p > 0 we also assume that k - 1 is not a power of p), each automorphism of such a fiber product curve can be extended to an automorphism of the ambient projective space. In the case that p > 0 and k - 1 is a power of p, we use tools from the theory of complete projective intersections in order to prove that, for k and n + 1 relatively prime, every automorphism of the fiber product curve can also be extended to an automorphism of the ambient projective space. In this article we also prove that the set of fixed points of the non-trivial elements of the generalized Fermat group coincide with the hyper-osculating points of the fiber product model under the assumption that the characteristic p is either zero or p > k(n-1). (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.