Semialgebraic description of Teichmüller space (Q1387734)

The object of this paper is to study the semialgebraic structure of the Teichmüller space \(T_g\). To describe \(T_g\) as a semialgebraic set, one can consider the space of representations of the surface group \(\Gamma_g\) in \(SL_2(\mathbb{R})\) as a real algebraic set \(R(\Gamma)\) in \(SL_2 (\mathbb{R})^{2f}\) and take the quotient \(X(\Gamma)\) in the invariant theoretic sense by the adjoint action of \(PGL_2(\mathbb{R})\). \(T_g\) can then be realised as a semialgebraic set in \(X(\Gamma)\) of dimension \(6g-6\). Having reviewed this construction, the author describes global coordinates on a certain finite union of connected components of \(X(\Gamma)\). Using these, he gives an explicit description of \(T_g\) as a semialgebraic set, hence giving new proofs of the connectedness and contractibility of \(T_g\).