Small generators of cocompact arithmetic Fuchsian groups (Q2827362)

Let \(k\) be a totally real number field, suitably ramified, and let \(A\) be a quaternion algebra over \(k\). Let \(R_k\) be the ring of integers in \(k\) , \(\mathcal{O}\) an \(R_k\)-order in \(A\) and \(\mathcal{O}^1\) the elements of \(A\)-norm \(1\) in \(\mathcal{O}\). Finally let \(\rho\) be an embedding of \(A\) in \(M_2(\mathbb{R})\). An \textit{arithmetic Fuchsian group} is a subgroup \(\Gamma\) of \(G=\mathrm{SL}_2(\mathbb{R})\) which is commensurable, up to conjugation, with some \(\rho(\mathcal{O}^1)\). In this case, the covolume \(\mathrm{vol}_\mu(G/\Gamma)\) of \(\Gamma\) with respect to a fixed Haar measure \(\mu\) on \(G\), is finite. Throughout, \(\Gamma\) is assumed to be \textit{cocompact}. A (finite) generating set for \(\Gamma\) is given by elements of \(\Gamma\) which pair the sides of a fundamental region of \(\Gamma\) in \(G\).NEWLINENEWLINEIn this paper, the authors use dynamical techniques to provide a ``small'' generating set \(\mathcal{S}\) for \(\Gamma\). By definition, ``small'' means that, for all \(\gamma \in \mathcal{S}\), \(||\gamma||\), where \(||.||\) is taken to be the \(L^{\infty}\)-norm, is bounded by a constant depending only on (i) \(\mu\), (ii) \(|k:\mathbb{Q}|\), where \(k\) is the invariant trace field, (iii) \(\mathrm{vol}_{\mu}(G/\Gamma)\) and (iv) \(\lambda\), the smallest non-zero eigenvalue of the Laplace-Beltrami operator on \(\mathbb{H}^2/\Gamma\). Improved bounds are given for the case where (i) \(\Gamma\) is a congruence subgroup and (ii) \(\Gamma\) is torsion-free. In addition, the authors prove that if the Salem conjecture is true then a bound for a torsion-free \(\Gamma\) exists which depends only on \(\mathrm{vol}_{\mu}(G/\Gamma)\) and \(\lambda\).NEWLINENEWLINEAlthough this paper provides a set of ``small'' generators for \(\Gamma\) the number involved could be quite large. Finding a generating set of minimal order for \(\Gamma\) is a different problem.