Canonical translation surfaces for computing Veech groups (Q2168039)

Let \(\Sigma\) be a finite set on a surface \(X\). The pair \((X,\Sigma\)) is a \textit{translation surface} if the open set \(X \setminus \Sigma\) has an atlas whose transition functions are translations in \(\mathbb{R}^{2}\). In addition \(X\setminus\Sigma\) should admit a flat structure with conical singularities at \(\Sigma\), each an integer multiple of \(2 \pi\). Equivalently a translation surface is a Riemann surface \(X\) with a holomorphic 1-form \(\omega\). In this case the finite set \(\Sigma\) consists of the zeros of \(\omega\), and the surface coordinates for \(X\) are obtained by integrating \(\omega\) along suitable paths in \(X\). In addition, a translation surface \(X\) can be defined as a collection of polygons in \(\mathbb{R}^{2}\) whose edges are identified in pairs by translations in \(\mathbb{R} ^{2}\). In the first definition a translation surface \((X,\omega)\) admits an affine structure on \(X \setminus \Sigma\). An affine diffeomorphism on \(X\) is a homeomorphism \(\varphi\) of \(X\) that preserves \(\Sigma\) and acts as an affine diffeomorphism on \(X \setminus \Sigma\). Projecting onto the linear part of \(\varphi\) defines a homomorphism between the group of orientable affine diffeomorphisms of \(X\) and \(\mathrm{GL}(2,\mathbb{R})\). The image of this map is the \textit{Veech group} of \((X, \omega)\). \textit{W. A. Veech} [Invent. Math. 97, No. 3, 553--583 (1989; Zbl 0676.32006)] noted that the Veech group lies in \(\mathrm{SL}(2, \mathbb{R})\) if \(X\) is compact. Veech groups \(\Gamma\) are discrete, non-cocompact Fuchsian groups. Let \(X\) be a compact surface without boundary. Two translation surfaces \((X,\omega_{1})\) and \((X,\omega_{2})\) are said to belong to the same \textit{stratum} of translation surfaces on \(X\) if \(\omega_{1}\) and \(\omega_{2}\) have the same orders of zeros \(d_{1}, \dots , d_{s}\) on \(X\) (repetition allowed). Translation surfaces in a stratum all have the same genus. In each stratum the authors choose a \textit{canonical surface} \((X,\omega)\). Each element \((X,\omega')\) of the stratum can be reconstructed from geometric data contained in the canonical surface \((X,\omega)\). Let \((X,\omega')\) be a fixed compact translation surface. The canonical surface \((X, \omega)\) in the stratum of \((X,\omega')\) leads to a criterion for determining when an element A of \(\mathrm{SL}(2,\mathbb{R})\) belongs to the Veech group of \((X,\omega')\). The authors use this membership criterion to obtain a new algorithm for computing the Veech group of \((X,\omega')\). This algorithm includes a stopping criterion, which indicates when all elements of the Veech group have been found. Many Veech groups can be computed using this algorithm.