On the symplectic volume of the moduli space of spherical and Euclidean polygons (Q2386868)

From MaRDI portal
scientific article
Language Label Description Also known as
English
On the symplectic volume of the moduli space of spherical and Euclidean polygons
scientific article

    Statements

    On the symplectic volume of the moduli space of spherical and Euclidean polygons (English)
    0 references
    0 references
    25 August 2005
    0 references
    Let \(V\) be a Riemannian 3-manifold \(r_0\) its injectivity radius. Let \(r=(r_1,\dots,r_n)\) be a sequence of non-negative numbers \(r_i\geq r_0\). Denote by \({\mathcal{P}}_r^{V}\) the configuration space of all polygons in \(V\) with sides of lengths \(r_i\). The author studies the moduli space \({\mathcal P}_r^{V}/\text{Iso}(V)\) in the cases \(V={\mathbb R}^3\) and \(V=S^3\) with their standard metrics. These moduli spaces carry natural symplectic structures and the question is which polygons have maximal symplectic volume. This is investigated with the help of Witten's formula and the author proves that regular \(n\)-gons maximize the volume inside the class of \(n\)-gons with fixed perimeter. Under certain assumptions the regular \(n\)-gons are the unique \(n\)-gons maximizing the volume.
    0 references
    moduli spacs of polygons
    0 references
    Witten's formula
    0 references

    Identifiers