Algebraic and geometrix convergence of discrete representations into PSL\(_2\mathbb C\) (Q611915)

For a finitely generated group \(\Gamma\), the paper considers the set \({\mathcal D}(\Gamma) \subset {\Hom}(\Gamma, \text{PSL}_2\mathbb C)\) of all representations of \(\Gamma\) in \(\text{PSL}_2\mathbb C\) with discrete, torsion free and nonelementary (not virtually abelian) image. The topology of pointwise convergence is called the algebraic topology, or the topology of algebraic convergence, and the present paper investigates the relationship between the algebraic convergence of a sequence \(\rho_i\) in \({\mathcal D}(\Gamma)\), and the geometric convergence of the associated subgroups \(\rho_i(\Gamma)\) to a subgroup \(G \subset \text{PSL}_2\mathbb C\) (i.e., with respect to the Chabauty topology). \textit{J. W. Anderson} and \textit{R. D. Canary} [Am. J. Math. 118, No.~4, 745--779 (1996; Zbl 0863.30048)] have shown that, if the algebraic limit of a sequence of discrete, faithful representations in \(\text{PSL}_2\mathbb C\) does not contain parabolics, then it is also the sequence's geometric limit. In the present paper, examples are constructed demonstrating the failure of this result for certain sequences of unfaithful representations, and a suitable replacement is discussed.