Computation of Hurwitz spaces and new explicit polynomials for almost simple Galois groups

Abstract: We compute the first explicit polynomials with Galois groups $G=P\Gamma L_3(4)$, $PGL_3(4)$, $PSL_3(4)$ and $PSL_5(2)$ over $\mathbb{Q}(t)$. Furthermore we compute the first examples of totally real polynomials with Galois groups $PGL_2(11)$, $PSL_3(3)$, $M_{22}$ and $Aut(M_{22})$ over $\mathbb{Q}$. All these examples make use of families of covers of the projective line ramified over four or more points, and therefore use techniques of explicit computations of Hurwitz spaces. Similar techniques were used previously e.g. by Malle, Couveignes, Granboulan and Hallouin. Unlike previous examples, however, some of our computations show the existence of rational points on Hurwitz spaces that would not have been obvious from theoretical arguments.