Holonomy limits of complex projective structures (Q2362596)

Let \(X\) be a closed Riemann surface of genus \(g > 1\) and let \(\Pi\) be the fundamental group of \(X\). The space of complex projective structures on \(X\) can be naturally identified with the vector space \(Q(X)\) of holomorphic quadratic differentials on \(X\). To any complex projective structure on \(X\) is associated a holonomy representation, which defines an element of the \(\mathrm{SL}_2(\mathbb{C})\)-character variety \(\mathcal{X}(\Pi)\) of \(\Pi\). It is a theorem of [\textit{D. Gallo} et al., Ann. Math. (2) 151, No. 2, 625--704 (2000; Zbl 0977.30028)] that the resulting map \(\mathrm{hol} : Q(X) \rightarrow \mathcal{X}(\Pi)\) is proper. In this paper, the author shows that for every divergent sequence \(\phi_n \in Q(X)\) with projective limit \(\phi\), the dual \(\mathbb{R}\)-tree of the quadratic differential \(\phi\) determines the limit points of \(\mathrm{hol}(\phi_n)\) in the Morgan-Shalen compactification of \(\mathcal{X}(\Pi)\) up to a natural folding operation.