K3 surfaces with 9 cusps in characteristic p

Abstract

We study K3 surfaces with 9 cusps, i.e. 9 disjoint $A_2$ configurations of smooth rational curves, over algebraically closed fields of characteristic $p\ne 3$. Much like in the complex situation studied by Barth, we prove that each such surface admits a triple covering by an abelian surface. Conversely, we determine which abelian surfaces with order three automorphisms give rise to K3 surfaces. We also investigate how K3 surfaces with 9 cusps hit the supersingular locus.

17 pages