Hyperbolic Brunnian Theta Curves

A nontrivial $\theta$-curve in $S^3$ is Brunnian if each of its cycles is the unknot. We show that if the exterior of a Brunnian $\theta$-curve is atoroidal, then it does not contain an essential annulus. Previously, Ozawa-Tsutsumi showed that there is no essential disc. Consequently, by Thurston's work, the exterior of an atoroidal Brunnian $\theta$-curve is hyperbolic with totally geodesic boundary. It follows that Brunnian $\theta$-curves of low bridge number have exteriors that are hyperbolic with totally geodesic boundary. We also show that two Brunnian $\theta$-curves are isotopic if and only if they are neighborhood isotopic and classify Brunnian spines of genus 2 handlebody knots. We rely heavily on a classification of annuli in the exteriors of genus two handlebody knots by Koda-Ozawa and further developed by Wang in conjunction with sutured manifold theory results of Taylor.