The geometry of Markoff numbers (Q1059104)
From MaRDI portal
scientific article
Language | Label | Description | Also known as |
---|---|---|---|
English | The geometry of Markoff numbers |
scientific article |
Statements
The geometry of Markoff numbers (English)
0 references
1985
0 references
This article offers a very fine exposition of the result of Andrew Haas to the effect that the Markoff quadratic irrationalities and simple closed geodesics on the punctured torus H/\(\Gamma\) ' are identified. In addition, the article contains a discussion of the analogue of the necessary dynamics for Haas' theorem in the case of a torus, uniformized by the plane. Some interesting historical data are provided for this case, some of it concerning ancient astronomy. The article also discusses the author's own work on the description of the exact connection between continued fractions and the tracing of geodesics on the modular surface, H/\(\Gamma\) (1). The paper ends with the interesting speculation that perhaps there is also a nice structure for geodesics on a punctured torus that self-intersect precisely once. One typo: The citations for references 6 (Haas' paper) and 7 are reversed.
0 references
Markoff spectrum
0 references
self-intersections
0 references
Markoff quadratic irrationalities
0 references
simple closed geodesics
0 references
punctured torus
0 references
continued fractions
0 references
modular surface
0 references