New examples of maximal curves with low genus

Abstract

We investigate the Jacobian decomposition of some algebraic curves over finite fields with genus $4$, $5$ and $10$. As a corollary, explicit equations for curves that are either maximal or minimal over the finite field with $p^2$ elements are obtained for infinitely many $p$'s. Lists of small $p$'s for which maximality holds are provided. In some cases we describe the automorphism group of the curve.