The moduli space of hex spheres (Q538632)

The author gives a description of the moduli space of some particular singular Euclidean surfaces, which he calls hex spheres. Here a hex sphere is defined as a singular Euclidean sphere with just four cone points with cone angles multiples of \(\frac{2\pi}{3}\) but less than \(2 \pi\). Actually it is shown that the moduli space is parametrized by the similarity classes of particular Euclidean polygons obtained by cutting the surfaces open in a specific way. As a corollary, it is shown that, for every unit-area hex sphere \(M\), there exists an embedded, totally geodesic annulus in \(M\) of positive width (in particular, \(M\) contains a simple closed geodesic); \(M\) is realized as the boundary of a tetrahedron in 3-dimensional Euclidean space and \(M\) is converted to the double of a perfect parallelogram by a fractional Dehn twist along a simple closed geodesic on it.