MICC: a tool for computing short distances in the curve complex

DOI10.1016/J.JSC.2016.03.010MaRDI QIDQ739622zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors W. Menasco, Kayla Morrell, Matthew J. Morse, Paul G. Glenn

Publication date 18 August 2016

Published in Journal of Symbolic Computation (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/1408.4134

zbMATH Keywords

distancegeodesiccurve complexmapping class group

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Geodesics in global differential geometry (53C22) General low-dimensional topology (57M99)

Abstract: The complex of curves $mathcalC(S_g)$ of a closed orientable surface of genus $ggeq2$ is the simplicial complex having its vertices, $mathcal{C}^0(S_g)$, are isotopy classes of essential curves in $S_g$. Two vertices co-bound an edge of the $1$-skeleton, $mathcal{C}^1(S_g)$, if there are disjoint representatives in $S_g$. A metric is obtained on $mathcal{C}^0(S_g)$ by assigning unit length to each edge of $mathcal{C}^1(S_g)$. Thus, the distance between two vertices, $d(v,w)$, corresponds to the length of a geodesic---a shortest edge-path between $v$ and $w$ in $mathcal{C}^1(S_g)$. Recently, Birman, Margalit and the second author introduced the concept of {em initially efficient geodesics} in $mathcal{C}^1(S_g)$ and used them to give a new algorithm for computing the distance between vertices. In this note we introduce the software package MICC ({em Metric in the Curve Complex}), a partial implementation of the initially efficient geodesic algorithm. We discuss the mathematics underlying MICC and give applications. In particular, we give examples of distance four vertex pairs, for $g=2$ and 3. Previously, there was only one known example, in genus $2$, due to John Hempel.

Recommendations

• Efficient geodesics and an effective algorithm for distance in the complex of curves
• Tightness and computing distances in the curve complex
• Distance 4 curves on closed surfaces of arbitrary genus
• Intersection numbers in the curve complex via subsurface projections
• Distance and intersection number in the curve graph of a surface

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Cited in

(6)

• Distance 4 curves on closed surfaces of arbitrary genus
• Efficient geodesics and an effective algorithm for distance in the complex of curves
• Origami edge-paths in the curve graph
• Distance and intersection number in the curve graph of a surface
• The restriction of efficient geodesics to the nonseparating complex of curves
• MICC

Describes a project that uses

Uses Software

• CPLEX

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