English

Conformal surface embeddings and extremal length

Complex Variables 2023-08-21 v3

Abstract

Given two Riemann surfaces with boundary and a homotopy class of topological embeddings between them, there is a conformal embedding in the homotopy class if and only if the extremal length of every simple multi-curve is decreased under the embedding. Furthermore, the homotopy class has a conformal embedding that misses an open disk if and only if extremal lengths are decreased by a definite ratio. This ratio remains bounded away from one under covers.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1507.05294,
  title  = {Conformal surface embeddings and extremal length},
  author = {Jeremy Kahn and Kevin M. Pilgrim and Dylan P. Thurston},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1507.05294},
  year   = {2023}
}

Comments

32 pages, 6 figures; v3: New Section 3.4, improved Example 4.4, other improvements throughout

R2 v1 2026-06-22T10:14:37.065Z