Geodesic length functions and Teichmüller spaces (Q1265277)

Let \(\Sigma\) denote a compact oriented surface of genus \(g\) with \(r\) boundary components and \(s\) punctures. Let \({\mathcal S}(\Sigma)\) be the set of isotopy classes of essential simple closed unoriented curves in \(\Sigma\). A hyperbolic metric on \(\Sigma\) with geodesic boundary and cusp ends determines a geodesic length function \(l_m : {\mathcal S}(\Sigma) \rightarrow {\mathbb R}\). If \(\alpha \in {\mathcal S}(\Sigma)\) is not homotopic into an end of \(\Sigma\), then \(l_m(\alpha)\) is the length of the geodesic representing \(\alpha\). Otherwise, \(l_m(\alpha) = 0\). The purpose of this paper is to characterize functions \(f : {\mathcal S}(\Sigma) \rightarrow {\mathbb R}\) which are equal to \(l_m\) for some hyperbolic metric \(m\) when \(\Sigma\) has negative Euler number. The characterization is by means of a set of polynomial equations in \(\cosh(f/2)\) in the \(({\mathbb Q}P^1, PSL(2,{\mathbb Z}))\) structure on \({\mathcal S}(\Sigma)\). This result gives a complete description of the embedding of the Teichmüller space \(T(\Sigma)\) into \({\mathbb R}^{{\mathcal S}(\Sigma)}\) which arises in \textit{W. P. Thurston}'s compactification of \(T(\Sigma)\) [see Bull. Am. Math. Soc., New Ser. 19, No. 2, 417-431 (1988; Zbl 0674.57008)].