J. London Math. Soc. (2) 89 (2014) 1–23 C2013 London Mathematical Society doi:10.1112/jlms/jdt058 Generalized parabolic Hitchin pairs

We define generalized parabolic Hitchin (GPH) pairs on a non-singular curve X and construct their moduli spaces. When X is the normalization of an integral projective curve Y, we give a birational morphism from the moduli space of good GPH on X to the moduli space of Hitchin pairs on Y. We define a Hitchin map on GPH and show that it is a proper map on the moduli space of GPH and induces a proper Hitchin morphism on a subscheme of the moduli space of Hitchin pairs on Y. We study the relationship between Hitchin pairs and the compactified Jacobian of a spectral curve. 1