On train-track splitting sequences (Q433917)

Train-tracks are fundamental objects introduced by Thurston in his study of surface diffeomorphisms, corresponding to embedded trivalent graphs on a surface \(S\) with additional structure see [\textit{R.C. Penner} and \textit{J. L. Harer}, Combinatorics of train tracks. Annals of Mathematics Studies. 125. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. (1992; Zbl 0765.57001)]. Basic operations of \textit{splitting} or \textit{sliding} can be performed on a given train-track to obtain new train-tracks. A sliding and splitting sequence \(\{ \tau_i \}_{i=0}^N\) is a sequence of train-tracks where each \(\tau_{i+1}\) is obtained from \(\tau_i\) by sliding or splitting. On the other hand, given a subsurface \(X \subset S\), one can define the subsurface projection \(\pi_X (\tau)\) of a train-track \(\tau\) in the curve complex \(\mathcal{C} (X)\). In this article the authors study the behavior of subsurface projections of train-track splitting sequences. To do so, new notions are introduced, namely the \textit{induced track} which generalize the notion of subsurface projection of curves, the notion of \textit{efficient position} which allows to pin down the location of an induced track and finally the \textit{wide curves} which are combinatorial analogues of curves of definite modulus on a Riemann surface. Using these notions, a detailed structure theorem for subsurface projection of splitting sequence is given. From this, the authors deduce that a subsurface projection \(\{\pi_X (\tau_i)\}\) of a sliding and splitting sequence \(\{ \tau_i \}\) is a \(Q\)-quasi-geodesic in the curve complex \(\mathcal{C} (X)\), where \(Q = Q(S)\) is a constant depending only on the surface \(S\). This also allows the authors to generalize a result of \textit{U. Hamenstädt} [Invent. Math. 175, No. 3, 545--609 (2009; Zbl 1197.57003)], proving that train-track sliding and splitting sequences give quasi-geodesics in the train-track graph \(\mathcal{T} (S)\).