On geodesics in asymptotic Teichmüller spaces (Q2430658)

Let \(R\) be a Riemann surface of infinite analytic type. The paper investigates the problem of the non-uniqueness of geodesics between any two points of \(AT(R)\), the asymptotic Teichmüller space introduced by \textit{F. P. Gardiner} and \textit{D. P. Sullivan}, [``Symmetric structures on a closed curve'', Am. J. Math. 114, No. 4, 683--736 (1992; Zbl 0778.30045)]. The existence of geodesics is proven in the book [Quasiconformal Teichmüller theory. Mathematical Surveys and Monographs. 76. Providence, RI: American Mathematical Society (AMS) (2000; Zbl 0949.30002)] by \textit{F. P. Gardiner} and \textit{N. Lakic}. The author proves that there exists a pair of points in \(AT(R)\) with infinitely many geodesics joining them. The proof relies on a degenerating sequence of holomorphic quadratic differentials constructed by \textit{Z. Li} [``Non-convexity of spheres in infinite-dimensional Teichmüller spaces'', Sci. China Ser. A 37, No. 8, 924--932 (1994; Zbl 0810.30037)]. The author also proves that even if two points in \(T(R)\) are joined by a unique geodesic in \(T(R)\), the corresponding geodesic between the images in \(AT(R)\) is not necessarily unique. This is done explicitly by constructing two different geodesics between equivalence classes of Beltrami differentials. Finally, restricting to the unit disk \(\Delta\), the author gives a sufficient condition to determine if the geodesics \([[t \mu_1]]\) and \([[t \mu_2]]\) joining \([[0]]\) to \([[\mu]]\) are different, where \(\mu_1\) and \(\mu_2\) are asymptotically extremal Beltrami differentials in \([[\mu]] \in AT(\Delta)\). A similar condition for geodesics in \(T(R)\) was proven by \textit{Z. Li} [``Nonuniqueness of geodesics in infinite-dimensional Teichmüller spaces. II'', Ann. Acad. Sci. Fenn., Ser. A I, Math 18, No. 2, 355--367 (1993; Zbl 0801.32006)].