Schiffer variations and Abelian differentials.

Deformations of compact Riemann surfaces are considered using a Čech cohomology sliding overlaps approach. Cocycles are calculated for conformal cutting and regluing deformations at zeros of Abelian differentials. Deformations fixing the periods of a differential and deformations splitting zeros are considered. A second order deformation expansion is presented for the Riemann period matrix. A complete deformation expansion is presented for Abelian differentials. Schiffer's kernel function approach for deformations of a Green's function is followed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]