On factorizations of maps between curves

We examine the different ways of writing a cover of curves $ϕ\colon C\to D$ over a field $K$ as a composition $ϕ=ϕ_n\circϕ_{n-1}\circ\dots\circϕ_1$, where each $ϕ_i$ is a cover of curves over $K$ of degree at least $2$ which cannot be written as the composition of two lower-degree covers. We show that if the monodromy group $\textrm{Mon}(ϕ)$ has a transitive abelian subgroup then the sequence $(\degϕ_i)_{1\le i\le n}$ is uniquely determined up to permutation by $ϕ$, so in particular the length $n$ is uniquely determined. We prove analogous conclusions for the sequences $(\textrm{Mon}(ϕ_i))_{1\le i\le n}$ and $(\textrm{Aut}(ϕ_i))_{1\le i\le n}$. Such a transitive abelian subgroup exists in particular when $ϕ$ is tamely and totally ramified over some point in $D(\overline{K})$, and also when $ϕ$ is a morphism of one-dimensional algebraic groups (or a coordinate projection of such a morphism). Thus, for example, our results apply to decompositions of polynomials of degree not divisible by $\textrm{char}(K)$, additive polynomials, elliptic curve isogenies, and Lattès maps.

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