Conformally flat 3-manifolds and Euclidean polyhedra (Q1904284)

A flat conformal structure on an \(n\)-dimensional manifold \(M\) is a maximal system of coordinate charts based on \(S^n\), such that the coordinate changes are local conformal diffeomorphisms of \(S^n\). The author studies the deformation space \({\mathcal C} (M)\) of flat conformal structures on a compact hyperbolic 3-manifold \(M\) by using a geodesic simplicial decomposition \(\Delta\) on \(M\). After considering the geodesic simplicial decomposition of \(M\), he shows that for any four distinct points in \(S^3\) in general position, there exists a unique sphere passing through these points such that the convex hull of the four points in \(\mathbb{H}^4\) is an ideal tetrahedron which lies on a totally geodesic hypersurface in \(\mathbb{H}^4\). Next he associates to a quasi-Fuchsian structure on \(M\) a singular pleated hyperbolic structure made up of ideal tetrahedra pieces. This singular pleated hyperbolic structure determines and is determined by the singular pleated Euclidean structures on the links of the vertices, up to similarity.