Higher derivatives of length functions along earthquake deformations (Q494159)

Let \(\Sigma_{g}\) be a closed topological surface of genus \(g\). Let \(T_g\) denote the Teichmüller space of hyperbolic metrics on \(\Sigma_g\), and \(\beta\) a closed curve on \(S\). The \textit{earthquake deformation} of a hyperbolic surface \(S \in T_g\) along \(\beta\) is the vector field associated to partial Dehn twisting along the geodesic representative of the curve \(\beta\). Given another curve \(\gamma\), a natural question is to compute the derivative(s) of the length of \(\gamma\), \(L_{\gamma}(S)\), along an earthquake deformation. \textit{S. P. Kerckhoff} [Ann. Math. (2) 117, 235--265 (1983; Zbl 0528.57008)] and \textit{S. Wolpert} [Comment. Math. Helv. 56, 132--135 (1981; Zbl 0467.30036); J. Differ. Geom. 23, 143--174 (1986; Zbl 0592.53037)] computed elegant formulas for the first derivative, showing that the derivative is given by \[ \sum\limits_p \cos \theta_p \] where the sum is taken over the points of intersection \(p\) of the geodesic representatives of \(\beta\) and \(\gamma\), and Wolpert computed the second derivative as well. The main result of the paper under review is a computation of higher derivatives, using a functional equation and elegant combinatorial formulas.