Families of cyclic curve coverings with maximal monodromy

Abstract: We study the algebraic monodromy of families of cyclic Galois coverings of curves. Under a condition on the $G$-decomposition of the associated variation of Hodge structures, we prove a criterion for the maximality of the monodromy. The proof combines the genus-zero case with a degeneration argument involving Prym varieties of certain admissible coverings. As a consequence of our criterion, we show that for $g\geq 8$ there exists no special family of Galois covers of the type we consider, providing new evidence towards the Coleman-Oort conjecture. Finally, we determine when the loci of double and triple Galois covers are totally geodesic.