Lengths of edges in carrier graphs (Q691096)

A \textit{carrier graph} is a finite graph \(X\) along with a map \(f: X \to M\) (\(M\) being a hyperbolic 3-manifold), with \(f_*: \pi_1(X) \to \pi_1(M)\) surjective. The notion was introduced by \textit{M. E. White} in [Commun. Anal. Geom. 10, No. 2, 377--395 (2002; Zbl 1012.57020)], where it was proved that an upper bound on the rank of \(\pi_1\) of a closed hyperbolic 3-manifold gives an upper bound on its minimal injective radius. Carrier graphs were used to obtain several results on hyperbolic 3-manifolds (see [\textit{J. Souto}, Geometry and Topology Monographs 14, 505--518 (2008; Zbl 1144.57017); \textit{I. Biringer}, Algebr. Geom. Topol. 9, No. 1, 277--292 (2009; Zbl 1182.57012); \textit{H. Namazi} and \textit{J. Souto}, Geom. Funct. Anal. 19, No. 4, 1195--1228 (2009; Zbl 1210.57019); \textit{I. Biringer} and \textit{J. Souto}, J. Lond. Math. Soc., II. Ser. 84, No. 1, 227--242 (2011; Zbl 1233.57008)]), but little is known about their geometry. The main result of the present paper states that, for a hyperbolic 3-manifold \(M\), if a minimal length carrier graph contains a sufficiently short edge, then it contains a short circuit, too; moreover, the ``shortness'' depends only on the rank of \(\pi_1(M)\). As a consequence, a lower bound on the injectivity radius of \(M\) is proved to give a lower bound on the length of any edge in a minimal carrier graph for \(M\). The author also generalizes White's theorem about the existence of minimal length carrier graphs for closed hyperbolic manifolds (see the above quoted paper).