Lengths spectrum of hyperelliptic components (Q2124245)

Let \(S_g\) be a genus-\(g\) closed topological surface. The expansion factor \(\lambda(\phi)>0\) of a pseudo-Anosov map \(\phi\) on \(S_g\) measures the exponential growth rate of the lengths of the curves under iteration of \(\phi\). The lengths spectrum of the moduli space \(\mathcal{M}_g\) for the Teichmüller metric is the set of the logarithms of all expansion factors (when fixing the genus); this is a discrete subset of \(\mathbb{R}\). It is considered to be challenging to describe the set of expansion factors of pseudo-Anosov mappings. In this paper, the authors propose a general framework for studying pseudo-Anosov homeomorphisms on translation surfaces. Recall that half-translation surfaces, an important feature of pseudo-Anosov mappings, are determined by a pair \((X,q)\), where \(X\) is a Riemann surface and \(q\) is a meromorphic quadratic differential. The authors write \((X,\omega)\), when \(q=\omega^2\) is the global square of a holomorphic 1-form, and refer to \((X,\omega)\) as a translation surface. There are many interesting consequences of this approach; most notable is the computation of the systole of the Teichmüller geodesic flow restricted to many different connected components of the strata of Abelian and quadratic differentials. Among them, the hyperelliptic components comprise entirely hyperelliptic curves. This answers a question of \textit{B. Farb} [Proc. Symp. Pure Math. 74, 11--55 (2006; Zbl 1191.57015)], see Theorem A of the introduction. On the description of the systole of moduli spaces there were scarce results, and all of them concerned some cases in small genera. Also, bounds have been given by the authors as well as by \textit{C. T. McMullen} [J. Topol. 8, No. 1, 184--212 (2015; Zbl 1353.37033)] and \textit{R. C. Penner} [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 113, No. 2, 443--450 (1991; Zbl 0726.57013)]; see further references within the paper. With the method proposed here, we have the first results on the description of the systole of moduli spaces. Finally, the methods developed in this paper provide a way to describe the bottom of the lengths spectrum of the hyperelliptic components for any genus, see Theorem B in the introduction. A picture of that for small genera is also provided here. Notably, the proofs and computations within the paper are such that can be performed without the help of a computer.