Flat projective structures on surfaces and cubic holomorphic differentials (Q930800)

In this article, the author gives an interpretation of real projective structures and associated cohomology classes in terms of connections, sections, etc. which satisfy elliptic partial differential equations in the spirit of Hodge theory. Moreover, the author applies the results to the probem of uniqueness of a minimal surface in a symmetric space. A flat real projective structure on a surface \(S\) is an atlas with values in \(\mathbb{R}\mathbb{P}^2\) and coordinate changes in \(\text{PSL}_3(\mathbb{R}).\) To such a structure, there exist a representation, the holonomy representation, \(\rho:\pi_1(S)\to \text{PSL}_3(\mathbb{R})\) of the fundamental group of \(S\) in \(\text{PSL}_3(\mathbb{R}),\) and a local diffeomorphism, the developing map, \(D:\widetilde{S}\to \mathbb{R}\mathbb{P}^2\) of the universal covering \(\widetilde{S}\) of \(S\) with values in \(\mathbb{R}\mathbb{P}^2\), which is \(\rho-\)equivariant, namely, \(\forall x\in \widetilde{S}\) \(\forall \gamma\in\pi_1(S)\) \(D(\gamma x)=\rho(\gamma)(Dx).\) If, moreover, the image of \(D\) is a convex set in \(\mathbb{R}\mathbb{P}^2,\) then the structure is called a convex real projective structure. Convex structures have been studied extensively by \textit{S. Choi} and \textit{W. M. Goldman} in [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 118, No.~2, 657--661 (1993; Zbl 0810.57005) and J. Differ. Geom. 31, No.~3, 791--845 (1990; Zbl 0711.53033)]. Some of their major results are summarized by the author of the present article as: Theorem 1.0.1. (Choi-Goldman) Every convex structure on \(S\) is determined by its holonomy representation. Furthermore, if a representation \(\rho :\pi_1(S)\to \text{PSL}_3(\mathbb{R})\) can be deformed into a discrete faithful representation \(\rho ' :\pi_1(S)\to \text{SO}(2,1),\) then \(\rho\) is the holonomy representation of a convex structure on \(S\). In the present paper, the author proves: Theorem 1.0.2. There is a \(\text{MCG}(S)\)-equivariant homeomeorphism between the moduli space of convex structures on \(S\) and the moduli space of pairs \((J,Q),\) where \(J\) is a complex structure on \(S\) and \(Q\) is a cubic holomorphic differential on \(S\) with respect to \(J,\) and where \(\text{MCG}(S)\) is the mapping class group of \(S.\) This result was announced in [GARC Conference in Differential Geometry, Seoul National Univ. (1997)]. The presented proof uses a self-contained approach. To each flat projective structure of holonomy \(\rho,\) the author associates a non-empty cone \(H_{\rho}(\mathbb{R}^3).\) It is proved that the cone helps to distinguish convex structures from others. The structure is convex if and only if the cone contains \(0.\) Moreover, the author proves results which parametrize the moduli space of representations of the surface group in the affine space in dimension \(3.\) Namely, Theorem 6.0.10 which defines a map from \(H_{\rho}(E)\) to \(\text{Teich}(S)\) the Teichmüller space of the closed surface \(S\) and Theorem 6.0.11 which can be considered as a generalization of the Eichler-Shimura isomorphism. It is also shown that these two results give rise to unexpected symmetries of the moduli space of representations of the surface group in the affine space in dimension 3. Furthermore, the author interprets Theorem 1.0.2 in the context of Higgs bundle theory. Using this result, for example, the author proves that the energy map on \(\text{Teich}(S)\) associated to the holonomy representation of a projective structure has a unique critical point which is a minimum. It is also noted that this function is proper according to his recently submitted paper [Ann. Sci. Éc. Norm. Supér. (4) 41, No.~3, 439--471 (2008; Zbl 1160.37021)]. A representation \(\rho:\pi_1(S)\to \text{PSL}_3(\mathbb{R})\) is a Fuchsian representation, if it factors through the irreducible representation of \(\text{PSL}_2(\mathbb{R})\) in \(\text{PSL}_3(\mathbb{R})\) and a cocompact representation \(\rho_1:\pi_1(S)\to \text{PSL}_2(\mathbb{R})\). A Hitchin representation is a representation which can be deformed into a Fuchsian representation. The author proves that for a Hitchin representation \(\rho_1:\pi_1(S)\to \text{PSL}_3(\mathbb{R}),\) there is a unique minimal surface in \(\rho(S)\backslash \text{SL}_3(\mathbb{R})/\text{SO}_3(\mathbb{R})\) such that the injection is a homotopically equivalence. Finally, in the appendices, the compactness results for partial differential equations appearing in the paper are given, which arise as consequences of a holomorphic interpretations in the spirit of [Geom. Funct. Anal. 7, No.~3, 496--534 (1997; Zbl 0885.32013)].