From Hitchin Systems to Rational Elliptic Surfaces with C*-actions via Orbifold Hilbert Schemes

Abstract: Using orbifold Hilbert schemes, we compactify all two-dimensional Hitchin systems corresponding to types A0-tilde, D4-tilde, E6-tilde, E7-tilde, and E8-tilde, thereby obtaining four rational elliptic surfaces with C*-actions. Their singular fibers and relative minimal models are listed in the main table. To this end, we prove that Hilbert schemes of orbifold surfaces are connected smooth projective schemes under suitable conditions, and we use the Hilbert-Chow morphism to construct the minimal resolutions of the coarse moduli spaces.