English

Andreev's Theorem on hyperbolic polyhedra

Geometric Topology 2007-05-23 v2 Differential Geometry

Abstract

In 1970, E. M. Andreev published a classification of all three-dimensional compact hyperbolic polyhedra having non-obtuse dihedral angles. Given a combinatorial description of a polyhedron, CC, Andreev's Theorem provides five classes of linear inequalities, depending on CC, for the dihedral angles, which are necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of a hyperbolic polyhedron realizing CC with the assigned dihedral angles. Andreev's Theorem also shows that the resulting polyhedron is unique, up to hyperbolic isometry. Andreev's Theorem is both an interesting statement about the geometry of hyperbolic 3-dimensional space, as well as a fundamental tool used in the proof for Thurston's Hyperbolization Theorem for 3-dimensional Haken manifolds. It is also remarkable to what level the proof of Andreev's Theorem resembles (in a simpler way) the proof of Thurston. We correct a fundamental error in Andreev's proof of existence and also provide a readable new proof of the other parts of the proof of Andreev's Theorem, because Andreev's paper has the reputation of being ``unreadable''.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.math/0601146,
  title  = {Andreev's Theorem on hyperbolic polyhedra},
  author = {Roland K. W. Roeder and John H. Hubbard and William D. Dunbar},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:math/0601146},
  year   = {2007}
}

Comments

To appear les Annales de l'Institut Fourier. 47 pages and many figures. Revision includes significant modification to section 4, making it shorter and more rigorous. Many new references included