On Kerckhoff minima and pleating loci for quasi-Fuchsian groups (Q5956153)

Let \(H^3/G\) be a quasi-Fuchsian manifold, let \(\Omega\) be the domain of dicontinuity of this action of \(G\) and let \(\Omega^{\pm}/G\) be the two connected components of \(\Omega/G\), each homeomorphic to a fixed hyperbolic surface \(S\). The boundary \(\partial {\mathcal C}/G\) of the convex core of the manifold is a pleated surface homeomorphic to \(\Omega/G\), and there are two measured bending laminations on the two components of \(\partial {\mathcal C}/G\) which are denoted by \(pl^{\pm}\). In this paper, the author investigates the pair \(([pl^+],[pl^-])\) of projective classes of measured lamination, for groups near the Fuchsian locus \(\mathcal F\). The approach is based on Kerckoff's results on minima of length functions on the Teichmüller space. In his paper [Duke Math. J. 65, No. 2, 187-213 (1992; Zbl 0771.30043)], \textit{S. Kerckhoff} showed that given two measured laminations \(\mu\) and \(\nu\) which fill up \(S\) and given \(k\in(0,\infty)\), the function \(l_{\mu}+kl_{\nu}\) is convex along earthquake paths and has a unique minimum on \({\mathcal F}\). As \(k\) varies, these minima are distinct and form the line of minima \({\mathcal L}_{\mu,\nu}\) for the pair \(\mu\), \(\nu\). Now, given two measured laminations \(\mu\) and \(\nu\) on \(S\), let \({\mathcal P}_{\mu,\nu}\) denote the set of points in the quasi-Fuchsian space for which \([pl^+]=[\mu]\) and \([pl^-]=[\nu]\). The author calls \({\mathcal P}_{\mu,\nu}\) the pleating variety for \(\mu\) and \(\nu\). She proves that in the case where the support of \(\mu\) and \(\nu\) consist entirely of closed curves and if this pair of curves fills up \(S\), then \({\overline{\mathcal P}}_{\mu,\nu}\cap {\mathcal F}\) is contained in the line of minima for \(\mu\), \(\nu\). She conjectures that this result holds without the condition that the supports of \(\mu\) and \(\nu\) are closed curves. The paper contains other related results.