A Schottky decomposition theorem for complex projective structures (Q1035305)

The paper under review studies complex projective structures on a compact surface (of genus \(>1\)). Such a structure is the data of a map from the universal cover of \(S\) to the Riemann sphere (the developing map) together with a representation of \(\pi_1(S)\) into PSL\((2,\mathbb C)\) (the holonomy). The main result is that there exists a decomposition of \(S\) into pairs of pants and cylinders such that the restriction of the projective structure to each component has an injective developing map and a discrete and faithful holonomy representation. The decomposition is provided by a multiloop on the surface which comes from an approximation of a lamination of the surface. This lamination is given by Thurston's parametrization of projective structures on \(S\) by Teichmüller space and the space of measured laminations on \(S\). Such a decomposition was used in [\textit{D. Gallo, M. Kapovich} and \textit{A. Marden}, Ann. Math. (2) 151, No. 2, 625--704 (2000; Zbl 0977.30028)] to prove that from a given representation \(\rho\) of \(\pi_1(S)\) into PSL\((2,\mathbb C)\) with suitable conditions one can construct a projective structure on \(S\) with holonomy \(\rho\). The main result of the paper under review says that any projective structure on \(S\) can be obtained by this construction.