English

The curve complex has dead ends

Geometric Topology 2014-04-11 v3 Group Theory

Abstract

It is proved that the curve graph C1(Σ)C^1(\Sigma) of a surface Σg,n\Sigma_{g,n} has a local pathology that had not been identified as such: there are vertices α,β\alpha,\beta in C1(Σ)C^1(\Sigma) such that β\beta is a dead end of every geodesic joining α\alpha to β\beta. It also has double dead-ends. Every dead end has depth 1.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1210.6698,
  title  = {The curve complex has dead ends},
  author = {Joan S. Birman and William W. Menasco},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1210.6698},
  year   = {2014}
}

Comments

Final version, published on-line in Geometriae Dedicata. 4 pages, 1 figure

R2 v1 2026-06-21T22:27:25.928Z