On non-compact surfaces of rank one (Q2468822)

Summary: We consider a complete noncompact Riemannian surface \(S\) of finite type, with nonpositive curvature. Ends of such surfaces were studied in 1979 by P. Eberlein, from topological and metrical viewpoints. We first prove that the two classifications of ends arising in his work are equivalent, as he conjectured. Then, we explain how it is possible to define the Gromov product of two points in the limit set of the fundamental group of \(S\); the continuity property of this Gromov product and the conformal action of isometries on the limit set with respect to the Gromov product allows us to investigate topological-dynamic properties of the geodesic flow and of the horocycle foliation on \(S\).