We compute equations for real multiplication on the divisor classes of genus-2 curves via algebraic correspondences. We do so by implementing van Wamelen’s method for computing equations for endomorphisms of Jacobians on examples drawn from the algebraic models for Hilbert modular surfaces computed by Elkies and Kumar. We also compute a correspondence over the universal family for the Hilbert modular surface of discriminant $5$ and use our equations to prove a conjecture of A. Wright on dynamics over the moduli space of Riemann surfaces.

In this paper we study the Oort conjecture concerning the non-existence of Shimura subvarieties contained generically in the Torelli locus in the Siegel modular variety ${\mathcal{A}}_{g}$. Using the poly-stability of Higgs bundles on curves and the slope inequality of Xiao on fibered surfaces, we show that a Shimura curve $C$ is not contained generically in the Torelli locus if its canonical Higgs bundle contains a unitary Higgs subbundle of rank at least $(4g+2)/5$. From this we prove that a Shimura subvariety of $\mathbf{SU}(n,1)$ type is not contained generically in the Torelli locus when a numerical inequality holds, which involves the genus $g$, the dimension $n+1$, the degree $2d$ of CM field of the Hermitian space, and the type of the symplectic representation defining the Shimura subdatum. A similar result holds for Shimura subvarieties of $\mathbf{SO}(n,2)$ type, defined by spin groups associated to quadratic spaces over a totally real number field of degree at least $6$ subject to some natural constraints of signatures.

We consider the Prym map from the space of double coverings of a curve of genus g with r branch points to the moduli space of abelian varieties. We prove that 𝒫:ℛg,r→𝒜δg−1+r/2 is generically injective if We also show that a very general Prym variety of dimension at least 4 is not isogenous to a Jacobian.

three families of pairs of curves are presented; each pair consists of geometrically non-isomorphic curves whose jacobians are isomorphic to one another as unpolarized abelian varieties. each family is parametrized by an open subset of ${\mathbb p}^1$. the first family consists of pairs of genus-2 curves whose equations are given by simple expressions in the parameter; the curves in this family have reducible jacobians. the second family also consists of pairs of genus-2 curves, but generically the curves in this family have absolutely simple jacobians. the third family consists of pairs of genus-3 curves, one member of each pair being a hyperelliptic curve and the other a plane quartic. examples from these families show that in general it is impossible to tell from the jacobian of a genus-2 curve over $\mathbb q$ whether or not the curve has rational points – or indeed whether or not it has real points. the families are constructed using methods that depend on earlier joint work with franck leprévost and bjorn poonen, and on peter bending's explicit description of the curves of genus 2 whose jacobians have real multiplication by $\mathbb z[\sqrt{2}]$.