In this article we prove the explicit Mordell Conjecture for large families of curves. In addition, we introduce a method, of easy application, to compute all rational points on curves of quite general shape and increasing genus. The method bases on some explicit and sharp estimates for the height of such rational points, and the bounds are small enough to successfully implement a computer search. As an evidence of the simplicity of its application, we present a variety of explicit examples and explain how to produce many others. In the appendix our method is compared in detail to the classical method of Manin–Demjanenko and the analysis of our explicit examples is carried to conclusion.

We show that a genus $2$ curve over a number field whose jacobian has complex multiplication will usually have stable bad reduction at some prime. We prove this by computing the Faltings height of the jacobian in two different ways. First, we use a known case of the Colmez conjecture, due to Colmez and Obus, that is valid when the CM field is an abelian extension of the rationals. It links the height and the logarithmic derivatives of an $L$ -function. The second formula involves a decomposition of the height into local terms based on a hyperelliptic model. We use the reduction theory of genus $2$ curves as developed by Igusa, Liu, Saito, and Ueno to relate the contribution at the finite places with the stable bad reduction of the curve. The subconvexity bounds by Michel and Venkatesh together with an equidistribution result of Zhang are used to bound the infinite places.

We study the automorphic Green function $\mathop{\rm gr}\nolimits _\Gamma $ on quotients of the hyperbolic plane by cofinite Fuchsian groups $\Gamma $, and the canonical Green function $\mathop{\rm gr}\nolimits ^{\rm can}_X$ on the standard compactification $X$ of such a quotient. We use a limiting procedure, starting from the resolvent kernel, and lattice point estimates for the action of $\Gamma $ on the hyperbolic plane to prove an “approximate spectral representation” for $\mathop{\rm gr}\nolimits _\Gamma $. Combining this with bounds on Maaß forms and Eisenstein series for $\Gamma $, we prove explicit bounds on $\mathop{\rm gr}\nolimits _\Gamma $. From these results on $\mathop{\rm gr}\nolimits _\Gamma $ and new explicit bounds on the canonical $(1,1)$-form of $X$, we deduce explicit bounds on $\mathop{\rm gr}\nolimits ^{\rm can}_X$.

In this paper we suppose G is a finite group acting tamely on a regular projective curve $\mathcal{X}$ over $\mathbb{Z}$ and V is an orthogonal representation of G of dimension 0 and trivial determinant. Our main result determines the sign of the $\epsilon$-constant $\epsilon(\mathcal{X}/G,V)$ in terms of data associated to the archimedean place and to the crossing points of irreducible components of finite fibers of $\mathcal{X}$, subject to certain standard hypotheses about these fibers.