Length spectra and the Teichmüller metric for surfaces with boundary (Q711627)

Let \(S\) be a fixed bordered Riemann surface of finite type and of hyperbolic type. Associated to \(S\) is its Teichmüller space \({\mathcal T}(S)\), which parametrizes the homotopy classes of Riemann surface structures on it which are quasiconformally equivalent to the given one. Each of these (classes) of Riemann surface structures has a associated hyperbolic structure. On \(S\) there are two associated sets; \({\mathcal C}(S)\) being the set of homotopy classes of essential simple loops and \({\mathcal B}(S)\) being the set of homotopy classes of essential arcs on \(S\). The extremal length of an element of \({\mathcal C}(S) \cup {\mathcal B}(S)\) is recalled (in an analytical and a geometrical way). The Teichmüller metric is provided in terms of the extremal lengths, generalizing a formula due to Kerckhoff for the case of non-bordered analytically finite Riemann surfaces. The first formula is provided in terms of the extremal lengths of curves in \({\mathcal C}(S) \cup {\mathcal B}(S)\). Later, the authors prove that the formula only needs the curves in \({\mathcal B}(S)\). They also state that the only use of the curves from \({\mathcal C}(S)\) is not enough to separate points in \({\mathcal T}(S)\). The relative thick part of \({\mathcal T}(S)\) is recalled, which is, by Mumford's compactness theorem, known to be a compact subset of \({\mathcal T}(S)\). In the rest of the paper, the authors provide comparison results between the Teichmüller metric and certain weak metrics defined by the length spectrum on the thick part. In particular, they obtain that all of them define the same topological structure on \({\mathcal T}(S)\).