In this paper we construct a compactification for the parameter space of convex projective structures on a fixed n-manifold M. This parameter space is a closed semi-algebraic subset of the variety of characters of representations of the fundamental group of M in SL_{n+1}(R). The boundary is the inverse limit of an inverse system of logarithmic limit sets of this semi-algebraic set, in a sense it is the tropicalization of the parameter space. The interpretation of the boundary points can also be given using tropical geometry. This construction is a generalization of the construction of compactification of the Teichmüller spaces.
In 1969, P. Deligne and D. Mumford compactified the moduli space of curves. Their compactification is a projective algebraic variety, and as such, it has an underlying analytic structure. Alternatively, the quotient of the augmented Teichmueller space by the action of the mapping class group gives a compactification of the moduli space. We put an analytic structure on this compact quotient and prove that with respect to this structure, it is canonically isomorphic (as an analytic space) to the Deligne-Mumford compactification.
There is a canonical identification, due to the author, of a convex real projective structure on an orientable surface of genus g and a pair consisting of a conformal structure together with a holomorphic cubic differential on the surface. The Deligne-Mumford compactification of the moduli space of curves then suggests a partial compactification of the moduli space of convex real projective structures: Allow the Riemann surface to degenerate to a stable nodal curve on which there is a regular cubic differential. We construct convex real projective structures on open surfaces corresponding to t…
We prove that the space of convex real projective structures on a surface of genus $g\ge 2$ admits a mapping class group invariant Kähler metric where Teichmüller space with Weil-Petersson metric is a totally geodesic complex submanifold.
In order to obtain a closed orientable convex projective four-manifold with small positive Euler characteristic, we build an explicit example of convex projective Dehn filling of a cusped hyperbolic four-manifold through a continuous path of projective cone-manifolds.
Cooper and Long generalised Epstein and Penner's Euclidean cell decomposition of cusped hyperbolic manifolds of finite volume to non-compact strictly convex projective manifolds of finite volume. We show that Weeks' algorithm to compute this decomposition for a hyperbolic surface generalises to strictly convex projective surfaces.
A convex projective surface is the quotient of a properly convex open $Ω$ of $\mathbb{P}(\R)$ by a discret subgroup $Γ$ of $\mathrm{SL}_3(\R)$. We give some caracterisations of the fact that a convex projective surface is of finite volume for the Busemann's measure. We deduce of this that if $Ω$ is not a triangle then $Ω$ is strictly convex, with $\Cc^1$ boundary and that a convex projective surface $S$ is of finite volume if and only if the dual surface is of finite volume.
This study of properly or strictly convex real projective manifolds introduces notions of parabolic, horosphere and cusp. Results include a Margulis lemma and in the strictly convex case a thick-thin decomposition. Finite volume cusps are shown to be projectively equivalent to cusps of hyperbolic manifolds. This is proved using a characterization of ellipsoids in projective space. Except in dimension 3, there are only finitely many topological types of strictly convex manifolds with bounded volume. In dimension 4 and higher, the diameter of a closed strictly convex manifold is at most 9 times …
Suppose $E$ is an end of an irreducible, properly convex, real-projective $n$-manifold $M$. If $π_1E$ contains a subgroup of finite index isomorphic to ${\mathbb Z}^{n-1}$, and $E\hookrightarrow M$ is $π_1$-injective, then $E$ is a generalized cusp. We list some consequences when all ends are of this type. Under certain hypotheses we prove the holonomy of a properly convex manifold is irreducible.
Given a finite collection P of convex n-polytopes in RP^n (n>1), we consider a real projective manifold M which is obtained by gluing together the polytopes in P along their facets in such a way that the union of any two adjacent polytopes sharing a common facet is convex. We prove that the real projective structure on M is (1) convex if P contains no triangular polytope, and (2) properly convex if, in addition, P contains a polytope whose dual polytope is thick. Triangular polytopes and polytopes with thick duals are defined as analogues of triangles and polygons with at least five edges, res…
In this paper we show that many projective Anosov representations act convex cocompactly on some properly convex domain in real projective space. In particular, if a non-elementary word hyperbolic group is not commensurable to a non-trivial free product or the fundamental group of a closed hyperbolic surface, then any projective Anosov representation of that group acts convex cocompactly on some properly convex domain in real projective space. We also show that if a projective Anosov representation preserves a properly convex domain, then it acts convex cocompactly on some (possibly different)…
Real projective structures on $n$-orbifolds are useful in understanding the space of representations of discrete groups into $\mathrm{SL}(n+1, \mathbb{R})$ or $\mathrm{PGL}(n+1, \mathbb{R})$. A recent work shows that many hyperbolic manifolds deform to manifolds with such structures not projectively equivalent to the original ones. The purpose of this paper is to understand the structures of ends of real projective $n$-dimensional orbifolds. In particular, these have the radial or totally geodesic ends. In previous papers, we classified properly convex or complete radial ends under suitable co…
Let $\mathcal{O}$ be a closed orientable 2-orbifold of negative Euler characteristic. Huebschmann constructed the Atiyah-Bott-Goldman type symplectic form $ω$ on the deformation space $\mathcal{C}(\mathcal{O})$ of convex projective structures on $\mathcal{O}$. We show that the deformation space $\mathcal{C}(\mathcal{O})$ of convex projective structures on $\mathcal{O}$ admits a global Darboux coordinates system with respect to $ω$. To this end, we show that $\mathcal{C}(\mathcal{O})$ can be decomposed into smaller symplectic spaces. In the course of the proof, we also study the deformation spa…
Real projective structures on $n$-orbifolds are useful in understanding the space of representations of discrete groups into $\mathrm{SL}(n+1, \mathbb{R})$ or $\mathrm{PGL}(n+1, \mathbb{R})$. A recent work shows that many hyperbolic manifolds deform to manifolds with such structures not projectively equivalent to the original ones. The purpose of this paper is to understand the structures of properly convex ends of real projective $n$-dimensional orbifolds. In particular, these have the radial or totally geodesic ends. For this, we will study the natural conditions on eigenvalues of holonomy r…
We show that associating the Euclidean cell decomposition due to Cooper and Long to each point of the moduli space of framed strictly convex real projective structures of finite volume on the once-punctured torus gives this moduli space a natural cell decomposition. The proof makes use of coordinates due to Fock and Goncharov, the action of the mapping class group as well as algorithmic real algebraic geometry. We also show that the decorated moduli space of framed strictly convex real projective structures of finite volume on the thrice-punctured sphere has a natural cell decomposition.
We study a properly convex real projective manifold with (possibly empty) compact, strictly convex boundary, and which consists of a compact part plus finitely many convex ends. We extend a theorem of Koszul which asserts that for a compact manifold without boundary the holonomies of properly convex structures form an open subset of the representation variety. We also give a relative version for non-compact (G,X)-manifolds of the openess of their holonomies.
In this paper, we consider discrete groups in ${\rm PGL}_d(\mathbb{R})$ acting convex co-compactly on a properly convex domain in real projective space. For such groups, we establish an analogue of the well known flat torus theorem for ${\rm CAT}(0)$ spaces.
A real projective orbifold has a radial end if a neighborhood of the end is foliated by projective geodesics that develop into geodesics ending at a common point. It has a totally geodesic end if the end can be completed to have the totally geodesic boundary. The purpose of this paper is to announce some partial results. A real projective structure sometimes admits deformations to parameters of real projective structures. We will prove a homeomorphism between the deformation space of convex real projective structures on an orbifold $\mathcal{O}$ with radial or totally geodesic ends with variou…
We prove entropy rigidity for finite volume strictly convex projective manifolds in dimensions $\geq 3$, generalizing the work of arXiv:1708.03983 to the finite volume setting. The rigidity theorem uses the techniques of Besson, Courtois, and Gallot's entropy rigidity theorem. It implies uniform lower bounds on the volume of any finite volume strictly convex projective manifold in dimensions $\geq 3$.
We consider Gromov-Thurston examples of negatively curved n-manifolds which do not admit metrics of constant sectional curvature. We show that for each n some of the Gromov-Thurston manifolds admit strictly convex real-projective structures.
Let P(S) be the space of convex projective structures on a surface S with negative Euler characteristic. Goldman and Bonahon-Dreyer constructed two different sets of global coordinates for P(S), both associated to a pair of pants decomposition of the surface S. The article explicitly describes the coordinate change between these two parametrizations. Most of the arguments are concentrated in the case where S is a pair of pants, in which case the Bonahon-Dreyer coordinates are actually due to Fock-Goncharov.
Let S be a closed, connected, orientable surface of genus at least 2, and let C(S) denote the deformation space of convex real projective structures S. In this article, we introduce two new flows on C(S), which we call the internal bulging flow and the eruption flow. These are geometrically defined flows associated to each pair of pants in a pants decomposition on S that deform the internal parameters. We show that the eruption flows, together with the generalized twist flows about the pants curves, give rise to a half-dimensional family of commuting flows on C(S).
We build examples of properly convex projective manifold $Ω/ Γ$ which have finite volume, are not compact, nor hyperbolic in every dimension $n \geqslant 2$. On the way, we build Zariski-dense discrete subgroups of $\SL_{n+1}(\R)$ which are not lattice, nor Schottky groups. Moreover, the open properly convex set $Ω$ is strictly-convex, even Gromov-hyperbolic. Nous construisons des exemples de variétés projectives $Ω/ Γ$ proprement convexes de volume fini, non hyperbolique, non compacte en toute dimension $n \geqslant 2$. Ceci nous permet au passage de construire des groupes discrets Zariski-de…
We introduce a natural subset of the unit tangent bundle of a convex projective manifold, the biproximal unit tangent bundle; it is closed and invariant under the geodesic flow, and we prove that the geodesic flow is topologically mixing on it whenever the manifold is irreducible. We also show that, for higher-rank, irreducible, compact convex projective manifolds, the geodesic flow is topologically mixing on each connected component of the non-wandering set.
A real projective orbifold is an $n$-dimensional orbifold modeled on $\mathbb{RP}^n$ with the group $PGL(n+1, \mathbb{R})$. We concentrate on an orbifold that contains a compact codimension $0$ submanifold whose complement is a union of neighborhoods of ends, diffeomorphic to closed $(n-1)$-dimensional orbifolds times intervals. A real projective orbifold has a {\it radial end} if a neighborhood of the end is foliated by projective geodesics that develop into geodesics ending at a common point. It has a {\it totally geodesic end} if the end can be completed to have the totally geodesic boundar…
For $d=4, 5, 6$, we exhibit the first examples of complete finite volume hyperbolic $d$-manifolds $M$ with cusps such that infinitely many $d$-orbifolds $M_{m}$ obtained from $M$ by generalized Dehn filling admit properly convex real projective structures. The orbifold fundamental groups of $M_m$ are Gromov-hyperbolic relative to a collection of subgroups virtually isomorphic to $\mathbb{Z}^{d-2}$, hence the images of the developing maps of the projective structures on $M_m$ are new examples of divisible properly convex domains of the projective $d$-space which are not strictly convex, in cont…
We prove that non-compact finite volume hyperbolic 3-manifolds that satisfy a mild cohomological condition (infinitesimal rigidity) admit a family of properly convex deformations of their complete hyperbolic structure where the ends become generalized cusps of type 1 or type 2. We also discuss methods for controlling which types of cusp occur. Using these methods we produce the first known example of a 1-cusped hyperbolic 3-manifold that admits a convex projective structure with a type 2 cusp. We also use these techniques to produce new 1-cusped manifolds that admit a convex projective structu…
In this survey, we study representations of finitely generated groups into Lie groups, focusing on the deformation spaces of convex real projective structures on closed manifolds and orbifolds, with an excursion on projective structures on surfaces. We survey the basics of the theory of character varieties, geometric structures on orbifolds, and Hilbert geometry. The main examples of finitely generated groups for us will be Fuchsian groups, 3-manifold groups and Coxeter groups.
Y. Benoist proved that if a closed three-manifold M admits an indecomposable convex real projective structure, then M is topologically the union along tori and Klein bottles of finitely many sub-manifolds each of which admits a complete finite volume hyperbolic structure on its interior. We describe some initial results in the direction of a potential converse to Benoist's theorem. We show that a cusped hyperbolic three-manifold may, under certain assumptions, be deformed to convex projective structures with totally geodesic torus boundary. Such structures may be convexly glued together whenev…
This article follow the article {http://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00361030/fr/} in which the author characterize the fact of being of finite volume for a convex projective surface. We show here that the moduli space $β_f(Σ_{g,p})$ of the convex projective structure on the surface $Σ_{g,p}$ of genius $g$ with $p$ punctures is homeomorphic to $\R^{16g-16+6p}$. Finally, we show that $β_f(Σ_{g,p})$ can be identify with a connected component of the space of representation of the fundamental group of $Σ_{g,p}$ in $SL(3,R)$ which keep the parabolic modulo conjugaison.
For an $n$-dimensional real hyperbolic manifold $M$, we calculate the Zariski tangent space of a character variety $χ(π_1(M),SL(n+1,\mathbb R)), n>2$ at Fuchisan loci to show that the tangent space consists of cubic forms. Furthermore we prove the Weil's local rigidity theorem for uniforml hyperbolic lattices using real projective structures.
Recent work of Ballas, Cooper, and Leitner identifies $(n+1)$ types of $n$-dimensional convex projective cusps, one of which is the standard hyperbolic cusp. Work of Ballas-Marquis, and Ballas-Danciger-Lee give examples of these exotic (non-hyperbolic) type cusps in dimension $3$. Here an extension of the techniques of Ballas-Marquis shows the existence of all cusp types in all dimensions, except diagonalizable (type $n$).
For any rank-one convex projective manifold with a compact convex core, we prove that there exists a unique probability measure of maximal entropy on the set of unit tangent vectors whose geodesic is contained in the convex core, and that it is mixing. We use this to establish asymptotics for the number of closed geodesics. In order to construct the measure of maximal entropy, we develop a theory of Patterson--Sullivan densities for general rank-one convex projective manifolds. In particular, we establish a Hopf--Tsuji--Sullivan--Roblin dichotomy, and prove that, when it is finite, the measure…
In this paper we focus on dynamical properties of (real) convex projective surfaces. Our main theorem provides an asymptotic formula for the number of free homotopy classes with roughly the same renormalized Hilbert length for two distinct convex real projective structures. The correlation number in this asymptotic formula is characterized in terms of their Manhattan curve. We show that the correlation number is not uniformly bounded away from zero on the space of pairs of hyperbolic surfaces, answering a question of Schwartz and Sharp. In contrast, we provide examples of diverging sequences, …
