Weight functions on Berkovich curves

Abstract

Let $C$ be a curve over a complete discretely valued field $K$. We give tropical descriptions of the weight function attached to a pluricanonical form on $C$ and the essential skeleton of $C$. We show that the Laplacian of the weight function equals the pluricanonical divisor on Berkovich skeleta, and we describe the essential skeleton of $C$ as a combinatorial skeleton of the Berkovich skeleton of the minimal snc-model. In particular, if $C$ has semistable reduction, then the essential skeleton coincides with the minimal skeleton. As an intermediate step, we describe the base loci of logarithmic pluricanonical line bundles on minimal snc-models.