Small intersection numbers in the curve graph

DOI10.1112/BLMS/BDU057MaRDI QIDQ2922864zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors Tarik Aougab, Samuel J. Taylor

Publication date 15 October 2014

Published in Bulletin of the London Mathematical Society (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/1310.4711

zbMATH Keywords

curve graphisotopy classesmapping class grouporientable surface with punctures

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Teichmüller theory for Riemann surfaces (30F60) Moduli of Riemann surfaces, Teichmüller theory (complex-analytic aspects in several variables) (32G15)

Abstract: Let $S_{g,p}$ denote the genus $g$ orientable surface with $pge0$ punctures, and let $omega(g,p)=3g+p-4$. We prove the existence of infinitely long geodesic rays $left{v}_0,v_1,v_2,\mathrm{...}ight$ in the curve graph satisfying the following optimal intersection property: for any natural number $k$, the endpoints $v_i,v_{i+k}$ of any length $k$ subsegment intersect $O(omeg{a}^{k-2})$ times. By combining this with work of the first author, we answer a question of Dan Margalit.

Review text

Let \(S=S_{g,p}\) denote an orientable surface of genus \(g\geq 0\) with \(p\geq 0\) punctures and \(\omega(S) = 3g + p - 3 > 1\). The curve graph \(C_{1}(S)\) for \(S\) is the graph whose vertices correspond to the isotopy classes of essential, non-peripheral simple closed curves on \(S\), and whose edges join vertices that represent curves whose union is a 2-component multi-curve. Denote the distance in this graph by \(d_{S}\). The curve graph was introduced by \textit{W. J. Harvey} [Ann. Math. Stud. 97, 245--251 (1981; Zbl 0461.30036)] and has since become a central tool to understand the mapping class group of a surface and hyperbolic structures on surfaces and \(3\)-manifolds. NEWLINENEWLINENEWLINENEWLINE In this note, the authors construct explicit curves (that have exactly the distance \(k\) for \(k \geq 4\)) that are as simple as possible in terms of their geometric intersection number on the surface. It is known that given a pair of curves \(\alpha, \beta\) on \(S\) one hasNEWLINENEWLINENEWLINE\[NEWLINE d_{S}(\alpha, \beta) \leq 2 \log_{2}(i(\alpha, \beta)) + 2. NEWLINE\]NEWLINE NEWLINENEWLINEAlso the purpose of this note is to establish a corresponding upper bound for the minimal number of times that a pair of distance \(k\) simple closed curves intersect. NEWLINENEWLINENEWLINENEWLINE Theorem 1.1. For any \(g, p\) with \(\omega = \omega(g, p)>1\), there exists an infinite geodesic ray \(\gamma =(v_{0},v_{1},v_{2},\dots)\) in \(C_{1}(S_{g,p})\) such that for any \(i\leq j\) NEWLINENEWLINE\[NEWLINE i(v_{i}, v_{j}) \leq \epsilon(\epsilon B)^{2j-5} \omega^{|j-i|-2} + f_{i,j}(\omega), NEWLINE\]NEWLINE where \(f_{i,j}(x)\) is \(O(x^{j-i-4})\), \(B\) is a universal constant, and \(\epsilon = 1\) if \(g\geq 2\) and \(\epsilon = 4\) otherwise.NEWLINENEWLINEThis theorem was proved in response to the following question (Dan Margarit): Is it true that for fixed \(k\) the function \(i_{k,g}\) is \(O(g^{k-2})\)?

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Cites work

• 3-manifolds as viewed from the curve complex
• A primer on mapping class groups
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• Minimally intersecting filling pairs on surfaces
• The classification of Kleinian surface groups. I: Models and bounds
• The classification of Kleinian surface groups. II: The Ending lamination conjecture
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• Uniform hyperbolicity of the graphs of curves

Cited in

(19)

• Minimally intersecting filling pairs on the punctured surface of genus two
• Distance 4 curves on closed surfaces of arbitrary genus
• Curves intersecting exactly once and their dual cube complexes
• Distance in the curve graph
• Hyperbolicity of the graph of nonseparating multicurves
• Distance and intersection number in the curve graph of a surface
• Intersection numbers in the curve graph with a uniform constant
• Efficient geodesics and an effective algorithm for distance in the complex of curves
• Mapping class groups and interpolating complexes: rank
• Pseudo-Anosovs optimizing the ratio of Teichmüller to curve graph translation length
• Large collections of curves pairwise intersecting exactly once
• Edge preserving maps of the curve graphs in low genus
• Single-cylinder square-tiled surfaces and the ubiquity of ratio-optimising pseudo-Anosovs
• An acylindricity theorem for the mapping class group
• On translation lengths of pseudo-Anosov maps on the curve graph
• Thurston construction mapping classes with minimal dilatation
• Dehn-Thurston coordinates for curves on surfaces
• Distance 5 curves in the curve graph of closed surfaces
• MICC: a tool for computing short distances in the curve complex

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