English

On the resolution of kinks of curves on punctured surfaces

Geometric Topology 2025-10-15 v2 Combinatorics Representation Theory

Abstract

Let (Σ,M,P)(\Sigma,\mathbb{M},\mathbb{P}) be a surface with marked points MΣ\mathbb{M}\subseteq \partial\Sigma\neq\varnothing and punctures PΣΣ\mathbb{P}\subseteq\Sigma\setminus\partial\Sigma. In this paper we show that for every curve γ\gamma on ΣP\Sigma\setminus\mathbb{P}, the curve obtained by resolving the kinks of γ\gamma in any order is uniquely determined, up to homotopy in ΣP\Sigma\setminus\mathbb{P}, by the 22-orbifold homotopy class of γ\gamma, in which the punctures are interpreted to be orbifold points of order 22. Our proof resorts to an application of the Diamond Lemma.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2307.11376,
  title  = {On the resolution of kinks of curves on punctured surfaces},
  author = {Christof Geiß and Daniel Labardini-Fragoso},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2307.11376},
  year   = {2025}
}

Comments

v1: 23 pages, 18 figures; v2: improvements following comments by the referee, one figure added, resolution of figures improved, 24 pages, 19 figures, to appear in Algebraic & Geometric Topology