Guts and volume for hyperbolic 3-orbifolds with underlying space \(S^3\) (Q1637170)

In this paper, the authors study volumes of hyperbolic \(3\)-orbifolds. Let \({\mathcal{O}}\) be a hyperbolic \(3\)-orbifold with underlying space the \(3\)-sphere, and let \(S\) be a closed, incompressible \(2\)-suborbifold of \({\mathcal{O}}\). The topology of \(S\) and the way it is embedded in \({\mathcal{O}}\) has an effect on the volume of \({\mathcal{O}}\). To analyse that effect, the authors define a certain pared orbifold called \(\text{guts}(S)\). They describe the possibilities for \(\text{guts}(S)\), in the case \(S\) has the \(2\)-sphere as underlying space and four cone points. They then give a complete description of the topological structure of \({\mathcal{O}}\) when the guts are empty. When the guts are non-empty, they obtain lower bounds for the volume of \({\mathcal{O}}\) in terms of the topology of the guts.