Galois actions on Neron models of Jacobians

Let $X$ be a smooth curve defined over the fraction field $K$ of a complete d.v.r. $R$, and let $K'/K$ be a tame extension. We study extensions of the $G = \Gal(K'/K)$-action on $X_{K'}$ to certain regular models of $X_{K'}$ over $R'$, the integral closure of $R$ in $K'$. In particular, we consider the induced action on the cohomology groups of the structure sheaf of the special fiber of such a regular model, and obtain a formula for the Brauer trace of the endomorphism induced by a group element on the alternating sum of the cohomology groups. We apply these results to study a natural filtration of the special fiber of the N\'eron model of the Jacobian of $X$ by closed, unipotent subgroup schemes. We show that the jumps in this filtration only depend on the fiber type of the special fiber of the minimal regular model with strict normal crossings for $X$ over $R$, and in particular are independent of the residue characteristic. Furthermore, we obtain information about where these jumps occur. We also compute the jumps for each of the finitely many possible fiber types for curves of genus 1 and 2.