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The conformal geometry of billiards
Author:
Laura DeMarco
Journal:
Bull. Amer. Math. Soc. 48 (2011), 33-52
MSC (2010):
Primary 37D50, 32G15
Posted:
October 15, 2010
MathSciNet review:
2738905
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Abstract: This article provides an introduction to some recent results in billiard dynamics. We present results that follow from a study of compact Riemann surfaces (equipped with a holomorphic 1-form) and an action on the moduli spaces of these surfaces. We concentrate on the progress toward classification of ``optimal'' billiard tables, those with the simplest trajectory structure.
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I. Bouw and M. Möller.
Teichmüller curves, triangle groups, and Lyapunov exponents. To appear, Ann. of Math. (2).
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Kariane
Calta, Veech surfaces and complete
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Cheung, Hausdorff dimension of the set of nonergodic
directions, Ann. of Math. (2) 158 (2003), no. 2,
661–678. With an appendix by M. Boshernitzan. MR 2018932
(2004k:37069), http://dx.doi.org/10.4007/annals.2003.158.661
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Yitwah
Cheung, Pascal
Hubert, and Howard
Masur, Topological dichotomy and strict ergodicity for translation
surfaces, Ergodic Theory Dynam. Systems 28 (2008),
no. 6, 1729–1748. MR 2465598
(2010i:32009), http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0143385708000126
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Y. Cheung, P. Hubert, and H. Masur.
Dichotomy for the Hausdorff dimension of the set of nonergodic directions. Preprint, 2009.
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Cheung and Howard
Masur, Minimal non-ergodic directions on genus-2 translation
surfaces, Ergodic Theory Dynam. Systems 26 (2006),
no. 2, 341–351. MR 2218764
(2007d:37047), http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0143385705000465
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Every curve is a Teichmüller curve. Preprint, 2009.
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E.
Gutkin, Billiards on almost integrable polyhedral surfaces,
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(2001h:37071), http://dx.doi.org/10.1215/S0012-7094-00-10321-3
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Patrick Hooper, Periodic billiard paths in right triangles are
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(2005c:30042), http://dx.doi.org/10.1215/S0012-7094-04-12312-8
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Steven
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Masur, and John
Smillie, Ergodicity of billiard flows and quadratic
differentials, Ann. of Math. (2) 124 (1986),
no. 2, 293–311. MR 855297
(88f:58122), http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1971280
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Howard
Masur, Hausdorff dimension of the set of nonergodic foliations of a
quadratic differential, Duke Math. J. 66 (1992),
no. 3, 387–442. MR 1167101
(93f:30045), http://dx.doi.org/10.1215/S0012-7094-92-06613-0
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Howard
Masur, Ergodic theory of translation surfaces, Handbook of
dynamical systems. Vol. 1B, Elsevier B. V., Amsterdam, 2006,
pp. 527–547. MR 2186247
(2006i:37012), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1874-575X(06)80032-9
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Howard
Masur and Serge
Tabachnikov, Rational billiards and flat structures, Handbook
of dynamical systems, Vol. 1A, North-Holland, Amsterdam, 2002,
pp. 1015–1089. MR 1928530
(2003j:37002), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1874-575X(02)80015-7
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Curtis
T. McMullen, Billiards and Teichmüller curves
on Hilbert modular surfaces, J. Amer. Math.
Soc. 16 (2003), no. 4, 857–885 (electronic). MR 1992827
(2004f:32015), http://dx.doi.org/10.1090/S0894-0347-03-00432-6
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Curtis
T. McMullen, Teichmüller curves in genus two: discriminant and
spin, Math. Ann. 333 (2005), no. 1,
87–130. MR
2169830 (2006h:32011), http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00208-005-0666-y
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Curtis
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beyond, J. Reine Angew. Math. 582 (2005),
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(2006a:32017), http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/crll.2005.2005.582.173
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T. McMullen, Prym varieties and Teichmüller curves, Duke
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(2007a:32018), http://dx.doi.org/10.1215/S0012-7094-06-13335-5
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Curtis
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and ratios of sines, Invent. Math. 165 (2006),
no. 3, 651–672. MR 2242630
(2007f:14023), http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00222-006-0511-2
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Curtis
T. McMullen, Dynamics of 𝑆𝐿₂(ℝ) over
moduli space in genus two, Ann. of Math. (2) 165
(2007), no. 2, 397–456. MR 2299738
(2008k:32035), http://dx.doi.org/10.4007/annals.2007.165.397
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Martin
Möller, Periodic points on Veech surfaces and the Mordell-Weil
group over a Teichmüller curve, Invent. Math.
165 (2006), no. 3, 633–649. MR 2242629
(2007e:14012), http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00222-006-0510-3
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Martin
Möller, Affine groups of flat surfaces, Handbook of
Teichmüller theory. Vol. II, IRMA Lect. Math. Theor. Phys.,
vol. 13, Eur. Math. Soc., Zürich, 2009, pp. 369–387.
MR
2497782 (2011a:32023), http://dx.doi.org/10.4171/055-1/11
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Jan-Christoph
Puchta, On triangular billiards, Comment. Math. Helv.
76 (2001), no. 3, 501–505. MR 1854695
(2002f:37060), http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/PL00013215
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Marina
Ratner, Interactions between ergodic theory, Lie groups, and number
theory, 2 (Zürich, 1994) Birkhäuser, Basel, 1995,
pp. 157–182. MR 1403920
(98k:22046)
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Richard
Evan Schwartz, Obtuse triangular billiards. II. One hundred degrees
worth of periodic trajectories, Experiment. Math. 18
(2009), no. 2, 137–171. MR 2549685
(2010g:37060)
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John
Smillie and Barak
Weiss, Veech’s dichotomy and the lattice property,
Ergodic Theory Dynam. Systems 28 (2008), no. 6,
1959–1972. MR 2465608
(2009m:37092), http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0143385708000114
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Kisao
Takeuchi, Arithmetic triangle groups, J. Math. Soc. Japan
29 (1977), no. 1, 91–106. MR 0429744
(55 #2754)
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W.
A. Veech, Teichmüller curves in moduli space, Eisenstein
series and an application to triangular billiards, Invent. Math.
97 (1989), no. 3, 553–583. MR 1005006
(91h:58083a), http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01388890
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Clayton
C. Ward, Calculation of Fuchsian groups associated to billiards in
a rational triangle, Ergodic Theory Dynam. Systems 18
(1998), no. 4, 1019–1042. MR 1645350
(2000b:30065), http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0143385798117479
- [BM1]
- M. Bainbridge and M. Möller.
Deligne-Mumford compactification of the real multiplication locus and Teichmüller curves in genus three. Preprint, 2009.
- [BM2]
- I. Bouw and M. Möller.
Teichmüller curves, triangle groups, and Lyapunov exponents. To appear, Ann. of Math. (2).
- [Ca]
- K. Calta.
Veech surfaces and complete periodicity in genus two. J. Amer. Math. Soc. 17(2004), 871-908. MR 2083470 (2005j:37040)
- [Ch]
- Y. Cheung.
Hausdorff dimension of the set of nonergodic directions. Ann. of Math. (2) 158(2003), 661-678. With an appendix by M. Boshernitzan. MR 2018932 (2004k:37069)
- [CHM1]
- Y. Cheung, P. Hubert, and H. Masur.
Topological dichotomy and strict ergodicity for translation surfaces. Ergodic Theory Dynam. Systems 28(2008), 1729-1748. MR 2465598 (2010i:32009)
- [CHM2]
- Y. Cheung, P. Hubert, and H. Masur.
Dichotomy for the Hausdorff dimension of the set of nonergodic directions. Preprint, 2009.
- [CM]
- Y. Cheung and H. Masur.
Minimal non-ergodic directions on genus-2 translation surfaces. Ergodic Theory Dynam. Systems 26(2006), 341-351. MR 2218764 (2007d:37047)
- [EMc]
- J. Ellenberg and D. B. McReynolds.
Every curve is a Teichmüller curve. Preprint, 2009.
- [Gu]
- E. Gutkin.
Billiards on almost integrable polyhedral surfaces. Ergodic Theory Dynam. Systems 4(1984), 569-584. MR 779714 (86m:58123)
- [GJ]
- E. Gutkin and C. Judge.
Affine mappings of translation surfaces: geometry and arithmetic. Duke Math. J. 103(2000), 191-213. MR 1760625 (2001h:37071)
- [Ho1]
- W. P. Hooper.
Periodic billiard paths in right triangles are unstable. Geom. Dedicata 125(2007), 39-46. MR 2322537 (2008d:37057)
- [Ho2]
- W. P. Hooper.
Grid graphs and lattice surfaces. Preprint, 2009.
- [Hu]
- J. H. Hubbard.
Teichmüller theory and applications to geometry, topology, and dynamics. Vol. 1. Matrix Editions, Ithaca, NY, 2006. MR 2245223 (2008k:30055)
- [HS1]
- P. Hubert and T. A. Schmidt.
Invariants of translation surfaces. Ann. Inst. Fourier (Grenoble) 51(2001), 461-495. MR 1824961 (2003e:32023)
- [HS2]
- P. Hubert and T. A. Schmidt.
Infinitely generated Veech groups. Duke Math. J. 123(2004), 49-69. MR 2060022 (2005c:30042)
- [KZ]
- A. B. Katok and A. N. Zemljakov.
Topological transitivity of billiards in polygons. Mat. Zametki 18(1975), 291-300. MR 0399423 (53:3267)
- [KS]
- R. Kenyon and J. Smillie.
Billiards on rational-angled triangles. Comment. Math. Helv. 75(2000), 65-108. MR 1760496 (2001e:37046)
- [KMS]
- S. Kerckhoff, H. Masur, and J. Smillie.
Ergodicity of billiard flows and quadratic differentials. Ann. of Math. (2) 124(1986), 293-311. MR 855297 (88f:58122)
- [Ma1]
- H. Masur.
Hausdorff dimension of the set of nonergodic foliations of a quadratic differential. Duke Math. J. 66(1992), 387-442. MR 1167101 (93f:30045)
- [Ma2]
- H. Masur.
Ergodic theory of translation surfaces. In Handbook of dynamical systems. Vol. 1B, pp. 527-547. Elsevier B. V., Amsterdam, 2006. MR 2186247 (2006i:37012)
- [MT]
- H. Masur and S. Tabachnikov.
Rational billiards and flat structures. In Handbook of dynamical systems, Vol. 1A, pp. 1015-1089. North-Holland, Amsterdam, 2002. MR 1928530 (2003j:37002)
- [Mc1]
- C. T. McMullen.
Billiards and Teichmüller curves on Hilbert modular surfaces. J. Amer. Math. Soc. 16(2003), 857-885. MR 1992827 (2004f:32015)
- [Mc2]
- C. T. McMullen.
Teichmüller curves in genus two: discriminant and spin. Math. Ann. 333(2005), 87-130. MR 2169830 (2006h:32011)
- [Mc3]
- C. T. McMullen.
Teichmüller curves in genus two: the decagon and beyond. J. Reine Angew. Math. 582(2005), 173-199. MR 2139715 (2006a:32017)
- [Mc4]
- C. T. McMullen.
Prym varieties and Teichmüller curves. Duke Math. J. 133(2006), 569-590. MR 2228463 (2007a:32018)
- [Mc5]
- C. T. McMullen.
Teichmüller curves in genus two: torsion divisors and ratios of sines. Invent. Math. 165(2006), 651-672. MR 2242630 (2007f:14023)
- [Mc6]
- C. T. McMullen.
Dynamics of over moduli space in genus two. Ann. of Math. (2) 165(2007), 397-456. MR 2299738 (2008k:32035)
- [Mö1]
- M. Möller.
Periodic points on Veech surfaces and the Mordell-Weil group over a Teichmüller curve. Invent. Math. 165(2006), 633-649. MR 2242629 (2007e:14012)
- [Mö2]
- M. Möller.
Affine groups of flat surfaces. In Handbook of Teichmüller theory. Vol. II, volume 13 of IRMA Lect. Math. Theor. Phys., pp. 369-387. Eur. Math. Soc., Zürich, 2009. MR 2497782
- [Pu]
- J.-C. Puchta.
On triangular billiards. Comment. Math. Helv. 76(2001), 501-505. MR 1854695 (2002f:37060)
- [Ra]
- M. Ratner.
Interactions between ergodic theory, Lie groups, and number theory. In Proceedings of the International Congress of Mathematicians, Vol. 1, 2 (Zürich, 1994), pp. 157-182, Basel, 1995. Birkhäuser. MR 1403920 (98k:22046)
- [Sch]
- R. E. Schwartz.
Obtuse triangular billiards. II. One hundred degrees worth of periodic trajectories. Experiment. Math. 18(2009), 137-171. MR 2549685 (2010g:37060)
- [SW]
- J. Smillie and B. Weiss.
Veech's dichotomy and the lattice property. Ergodic Theory Dynam. Systems 28(2008), 1959-1972. MR 2465608 (2009m:37092)
- [Ta]
- K. Takeuchi.
Arithmetic triangle groups. J. Math. Soc. Japan 29(1977), 91-106. MR 0429744 (55:2754)
- [Ve]
- W. A. Veech.
Teichmüller curves in moduli space, Eisenstein series and an application to triangular billiards. Invent. Math. 97(1989), 553-583. MR 1005006 (91h:58083a)
- [Wa]
- C. C. Ward.
Calculation of Fuchsian groups associated to billiards in a rational triangle. Ergodic Theory Dynam. Systems 18(1998), 1019-1042. MR 1645350 (2000b:30065)
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Additional Information
Laura DeMarco
Affiliation:
Department of Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science, University of Illinois at Chicago
Email:
demarco@math.uic.edu
DOI:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1090/S0273-0979-2010-01322-7
PII:
S 0273-0979(2010)01322-7
Received by editor(s):
July 19, 2010
Posted:
October 15, 2010
Article copyright:
© Copyright 2010 American Mathematical Society
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