Conical metrics on Riemann surfaces. I: The compactified configuration space and regularity (Q2177705)

Let \(M\) be a Riemann surface. The space of nonnegative divisors of total degree \(k\), denoted by \(\mathcal{D}_k(M)\), consists of ordered \(k\)-tuples of points of \(M\). The open dense subset of \(\mathcal{D}_k(M)\) where the points are distinct is called configuration space. The authors construct a real compactification of the configuration space, \(\mathcal{E}_k(M)\), called the extended configuration space, and a resolution of it, \(\mathcal{C}_k(M)\), called the extended configuration family. Both \(\mathcal{E}_k(M)\) and \(\mathcal{C}_k(M)\) are manifolds with corners. The authors then study the space of constant curvature metrics on \(M\) with prescribed conical singularities. In the positive curvature case, cone angles are restricted to be less that \(2\pi\), but not in the hyperbolic or flat cases. They are concerned with the behavior of these metrics under deformation when some of the cone points come together, and prove a regularity theorem for this phenomenon. This paper is a sequel to the paper by \textit{R. Mazzeo} and \textit{H. Weiss} [Prog. Math. 310, 127--164 (2017; Zbl 1444.32015)] and will be used in a subsequent paper on spherical conical metrics.