Classification of genus 3 curves in special strata of the moduli space

Martine Girard, David R. Kohel

Published 2006-03-23Version 1

We describe the invariants of plane quartic curves -- nonhyperelliptic genus 3 curves in their canonical model -- as determined by Dixmier and Ohno, with application to the classification of curves with given structure. In particular, we determine modular equations for the strata in the moduli space $\Me_3$ of plane quartics which have at least seven hyperflexes, and obtain an computational characterization of curves in these strata.