Finiteness results for Teichmüller curves (Q2482854)

A Teichmüller curve is an algebraic curve in the moduli space, \(M_g\), of curves of genus \(g\) which is the image of a complex geodesic for the Teichmüller metric in Teichmüller space. In this paper, such a Teichmüller geodesic is the orbit under \({\text{ SL}}_2({\mathbb R})\) of a pair \((X_0, \omega_0)\) of a holomorphic differential form on a Riemann surface \(X_0\). The image \(\Gamma\) in \({\text{ PSL}}_2({\mathbb R})\) of the stabilizer of \((X_0, \omega_0)\) is called the affine group of the Teichmüller curve. The extension of \({\mathbb Q}\) generated by the traces of the elements of \(\Gamma\) is called the trace field. A Teichmüller curve is called algebraically primitive if the trace field has degree \(g\) over \({\mathbb Q}\). An algebraically primitive Teichmüller curve is alway geometrically primitive. This means that the pair \((X_0, \omega_0)\) is not obtained from a Riemann surface of lower genus by a covering construction. In genus \(2\) the two notions coincide. It is known that algebraically primitive Teichmüller curves exist, but not much is known on the number of such curves for fixed genus. \textit{C. McMullen} [Duke Math J. 133, 569--590 (2006; Zbl 1099.14018)] constructed infinitely many geometrically primitive Teichmüller curves in genus \(3,4\) and \(5\). In this paper the author studies Teichmüller curves in the closure in \(M_g\) of the hyperelliptic locus. If \((X_0, \omega_0)\) generates such a Teichmüller curve \(C\), then \(\omega_0\) has a single zero whose order is either \(2g-3\) or \(2g-2\). In the second case, we say that \(C\) belongs to the stratum \(\Omega M_g(g-1, g-1)^{\text{ hyp}}\). The main result of this paper is that the stratum \(\Omega M_g(g-1, g-1)^{\text{ hyp}}\) contains at most finitely many algebraically primitive Teichmüller curves, for fixed \(g\). The proof is based on a careful analysis of the intersection of a Teichmüller curve with the boundary of \(M_g\). As a corollary, the author shows that the trace field is cyclotomic, in this situation.