Orbifold splice quotients and log covers of surface pairs

Abstract

A three-dimensional orbifold $(\Sigma, \gamma_i, n_i)$, where $\Sigma$ is a rational homology sphere, has a universal abelian orbifold covering, whose covering group is the first orbifold homology. A singular pair $(X,C)$, where $X$ is a normal surface singularity with $\mathbb Q$HS link and $C$ is a Weil divisor, gives rise on its boundary to an orbifold. One studies the preceding orbifold notions in the algebro-geometric setting, in particular defining the universal abelian log cover of a pair. A first key theorem computes the orbifold homology from an appropriate resolution of the pair. In analogy with the case where $C$ is empty and one considers the universal abelian cover, under certain conditions on a resolution graph one can construct pairs and their universal abelian log covers. Such pairs are called orbifold splice quotients.