By using Klein's model for hyperbolic geometry, hyperbolic structures on orbifolds or manifolds provide examples of real projective structures. By Andreev's theorem, many 3-dimensional reflection orbifolds admit a finite volume hyperbolic structure, and such a hyperbolic structure is unique. However, the induced real projective structure on some such 3-orbifolds deforms into a family of real projective structures that are not induced from hyperbolic structures. In this paper, we find new classes of compact and complete hyperbolic reflection 3-orbifolds with such deformations. We also explain numerical and exact results on projective deformations of some compact hyperbolic cubes and dodecahedra.
A Coxeter $n$-orbifold is an $n$-dimensional orbifold based on a polytope with silvered boundary facets. Each pair of adjacent facets meet on a ridge of some order $m$, whose neighborhood is locally modeled on ${\mathbb R}^n$ modulo the dihedral group of order $2m$ generated by two reflections. For $n \geq 3$, we study the deformation space of real projective structures on a compact Coxeter $n$-orbifold $Q$ admitting a hyperbolic structure. Let $e_+(Q)$ be the number of ridges of order $\geq 3$. A neighborhood of the hyperbolic structure in the deformation space is a cell of dimension $e_+(Q) …
One can define what it means for a compact manifold with corners to be a "contractible manifold with contractible faces." Two combinatorially equivalent, contractible manifolds with contractible faces are diffeomorphic if and only if their 4-dimensional faces are diffeomorphic. It follows that two simple convex polytopes are combinatorially equivalent if and only if they are diffeomorphic as manifolds with corners. On the other hand, by a result of Akbulut, for each n > 3, there are smooth, contractible n-manifolds with contractible faces which are combinatorially equivalent but not diffeomorp…
Associated to any Coxeter system $(W,S)$, there is a labeled simplicial complex $L$ and a contractible CW-complex $Σ_L$ (the Davis complex) on which $W$ acts properly and cocompactly. $Σ_L$ admits a cellulation under which the nerve of each vertex is $L$. It follows that if $L$ is a triangulation of $\mathbb{S}^{n-1}$, then $Σ_L$ is a contractible $n$-manifold. In this case, the orbit space, $K_L:=Σ_L/W$, is a \emph{Coxeter orbifold}. We prove a result analogous to the JSJ-decomposition for 3-dimensional manifolds: Every 3-dimensional Coxeter orbifold splits along Euclidean suborbifolds into t…
We compute and analyse the moduli space of those real projective structures on a hyperbolic 3-orbifold that are modelled on a single ideal tetrahedron in projective space. Parameterisations are given in terms of classical invariants, traces, and geometric invariants, cross ratios.
A strictly convex real projective orbifold is equipped with a natural Finsler metric called the Hilbert metric. In the case that the projective structure is hyperbolic, the Hilbert metric and the hyperbolic metric coincide. We prove that the marked Hilbert length spectrum determines the projective structure only up to projective duality. A corollary is the existence of non-isometric diffeomorphic strictly convex projective manifolds (and orbifolds) that are isospectral. The corollary follows from work of Goldman and Choi, and Benoist.
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…
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 ends of real projective $n$-dimensional orbifolds. In particular, these have the radial or totally geodesic ends. Hyperbolic manifolds with cusps and hyper-ideal ends are examples. For this, we will study …
We determine the three hyperbolic 5-orbifolds of smallest volume among compact arithmetic orbifolds, and we identify their fundamental groups with hyperbolic Coxeter groups. This gives two different ways to compute the volume of these orbifolds.
Real projective structures on $n$-orbifolds are useful in understanding the space of representations of discrete groups into $SL(n+1, \mathbb{R})$ or $PGL(n+1, \mathbb{R})$. 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. Hyperbolic manifolds with cusps and hyper-ideal ends are examples. For this, we will study the natural condit…
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…
For small $n$, the known compact hyperbolic $n$-orbifolds of minimal volume are intimately related to Coxeter groups of smallest rank. For $n=2$ and $3$, these Coxeter groups are given by the triangle group $[7,3]$ and the tetrahedral group $[3,5,3]$, and they are also distinguished by the fact that they have minimal growth rate among all cocompact hyperbolic Coxeter groups in $\hbox{Isom}\mathbb H^n$, respectively. In this work, we consider the cocompact Coxeter simplex group $G_4$ with Coxeter symbol $[5,3,3,3]$ in $\hbox{Isom}\mathbb H^4$ and the cocompact Coxeter prism group $G_5$ based on…
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…
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…
The cusped hyperbolic n-orbifolds of minimal volume are well known for $n \leq 9$. Their fundamental groups are related to the Coxeter n-simplex groups $Γ_n$ listed in Table 1. In this work, we prove that $Γ_n$ has minimal growth rate among all non-cocompact Coxeter groups of finite covolume in $\hbox{Isom}\mathbb H^n$. In this way, we extend previous results of Floyd for $n = 2$ and of Kellerhals for $n = 3$ respectively. Our proof is a generalisation of the methods developed in [2] for the cocompact case.
We discuss properties of complex algebraic orbifold groups, their characteristic varieties, and their abelian covers. In particular, we deal with the question of (quasi)-projectivity of orbifold groups. We also prove a structure theorem for the variety of characters of normal-crossing quasi-projective orbifold groups. Finally, we extend Sakuma's formula for the first Betti number of abelian covers of orbifold fundamental groups. Several examples are presented, including a compact orbifold group which is not projective and a Zariski pair of plane projective curves that can be told by considerin…
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.
We determine the lowest volume hyperbolic Coxeter polyhedron whose corresponding hyperbolic polyhedral 3-orbifold contains an essential 2-suborbifold, up to a canonical decomposition along essential hyperbolic triangle 2-suborbifolds.
We show that the 1-cusped quotient of the hyperbolic space $\mathbb{H}^3$ by the tetrahedral Coxeter group $Γ_*=[5,3,6]$ has minimal volume among all non-arithmetic cusped hyperbolic 3-orbifolds, and as such it is uniquely determined. Furthermore, the lattice $Γ_*$ is incommensurable to any Gromov-Piatetski-Shapiro type lattice. Our methods have their origin in the work of C. Adams. We extend considerably this approach via the geometry of the underlying horoball configuration induced by a cusp.
Following Vinberg, we find the criterions for a subgroup generated by reflections $Γ\subset \SL^{\pm}(n+1,\mathbb{R})$ and its finite-index subgroups to be definable over $\mathbb{A}$ where $\mathbb{A}$ is an integrally closed Noetherian ring in the field $\mathbb{R}$. We apply the criterions for groups generated by reflections that act cocompactly on irreducible properly convex open subdomains of the $n$-dimensional projective sphere. This gives a method for constructing injective group homomorphisms from such Coxeter groups to $\SL^{\pm}(n+1,\mathbb{Z})$. Finally we provide some examples of …
A convex polytope $P$ in the real projective space with reflections in the facets of $P$ is a Coxeter polytope if the reflections generate a subgroup $Γ$ of the group of projective transformations so that the $Γ$-translates of the interior of $P$ are mutually disjoint. It follows from work of Vinberg that if $P$ is a Coxeter polytope, then the interior $Ω$ of the $Γ$-orbit of $P$ is convex and $Γ$ acts properly discontinuously on $Ω$. A Coxeter polytope $P$ is $2$-perfect if $P \smallsetminus Ω$ consists of only some vertices of $P$. In this paper, we describe the deformation spaces of $2$-per…
We determine that the deformation space of convex real projective structures, that is, projectively flat torsion-free connections with the geodesic convexity property on a compact 2-orbifold of negative Euler characteristic is homeomorphic to a cell of certain dimension. The basic techniques are from Thurston's lecture notes on hyperbolic 2-orbifolds, and the previous work of Goldman on convex real projective structures on surfaces.
The present paper describes a relation between the quotient of the fundamental group of a smooth quasi-projective variety by its second commutator and the existence of maps to orbifold curves. It extends previously studied cases when the target was a smooth curve. In the case when the quasi-projective variety is a complement to a plane algebraic curve this provides new relations between the fundamental group, the equation of the curve, and the existence of polynomial solutions to certain equations generalizing Pell's equation. These relations are formulated in terms of the depth which is an in…
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 study Deraux's non arithmetic orbifold ball quotient surfaces obtained as birational transformations of a quotient $X$ of a particular Abelian surface $A$. Using the fact that $A$ is the Jacobian of the Bolza genus $2$ curve, we identify $X$ as the weighted projective plane $\mathbb{P}(1,3,8)$. We compute the equation of the mirror $M$ of the orbifold ball quotient $(X,M)$ and by taking the quotient by an involution, we obtain an orbifold ball quotient surface with mirror birational to an interesting configuration of plane curves of degrees $1,2$ and $3$. We also exhibit an arrangement of f…
