The anharmonic self-homeomorphisms of the thrice-punctured sphere #
The six Möbius transformations permuting the three punctures {0, 1, ∞} of the Riemann sphere
restrict to self-homeomorphisms of the thrice-punctured sphere U = ℂ ∖ {0, 1}:
| map | formula | punctures | image of b = 1/2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| identity | z | () | 1/2 |
mob01 | 1 − z | (0 1) | 1/2 |
mob1Inf | z / (z − 1) | (1 ∞) | −1 |
mob0Inf | 1 / z | (0 ∞) | 2 |
mobRot | 1 / (1 − z) | (0 1 ∞) | 2 |
mobRotInv | (z − 1) / z | (0 ∞ 1) | −1 |
The identity is Homeomorph.refl, and mob01 is defined with the thrice-punctured sphere
itself. The two involutions mob01 and mob1Inf generate the other four: mobRot and
mobRotInv are defined as their two composites, and mob0Inf is the composite
mob01 ∘ mob1Inf ∘ mob01, which is also mob1Inf ∘ mob01 ∘ mob1Inf (the braid relation of
S₃).
Pulling covers back along these maps is the topological counterpart of the action of S₃ on
permutation triples by permuting the branch points. The identity and mob01 fix the basepoint
b = 1/2; among the nonidentity maps, only mob01 does. The other four maps move it, so they
induce maps between fundamental groups at different basepoints. A connecting path identifies
these with automorphisms at b, up to inner conjugacy. This choice is separate from their
canonical pullback action on covers.
The puncture permutations are recorded by identifying each map with the restriction of a Möbius
transformation of the Riemann sphere OnePoint ℂ, that is, with the action of an element of
GL (Fin 2) ℂ (Mathlib's OnePoint.instGLAction). The matrices of the two generators are
mob01GL = !![-1, 1; 0, 1] and mob1InfGL = !![1, 0; 1, -1], and the value lemmas
mob01GL_smul_* and mob1InfGL_smul_* record where each sends 0, 1 and ∞.
Main definitions #
TauCeti.ThricePuncturedSphere.mob1Inf:z ↦ z / (z − 1), exchanging1and∞.TauCeti.ThricePuncturedSphere.mob0Inf:z ↦ 1 / z, exchanging0and∞.TauCeti.ThricePuncturedSphere.mobRot,TauCeti.ThricePuncturedSphere.mobRotInv: the two rotationsz ↦ 1 / (1 − z)andz ↦ (z − 1) / z, inverse to each other.TauCeti.ThricePuncturedSphere.mob01GL,TauCeti.ThricePuncturedSphere.mob1InfGL: the matrices of the two generators.
Main results #
coe_mob1Inf,coe_mob0Inf,coe_mobRot,coe_mobRotInv: the formulas.mob01_mob1Inf_mob01,mob1Inf_mob01_mob1Inf:mob0Infis the composite of the generators either way round.mobRot_mobRot,mobRot_mobRot_mobRot:mobRothas order three, with squaremobRotInv.toOnePoint_mob01,toOnePoint_mob1Inf,toOnePoint_mob0Inf,toOnePoint_mobRot,toOnePoint_mobRotInv: each map is the restriction of the Möbius action of a product ofmob01GLandmob1InfGL.
References #
- E. Girondo and G. González-Diez, Introduction to Compact Riemann Surfaces and Dessins d'Enfants, London Mathematical Society Student Texts 79, Cambridge University Press, 2012, §§1.1 and 2.4 (Möbius transformations, and the thrice-punctured sphere as the base of three-point covers).
The generators and their composites #
The self-homeomorphism z ↦ z / (z − 1) of the thrice-punctured sphere. It is the anharmonic
transformation exchanging the punctures 1 and ∞ and fixing 0; it moves the basepoint 1/2
to −1.
Equations
- One or more equations did not get rendered due to their size.
Instances For
mob1Inf has the formula z ↦ z / (z - 1).
z ↦ z / (z − 1) is an involution.
The self-homeomorphism z ↦ 1 / (1 − z) of the thrice-punctured sphere, the composite
mob01 ∘ mob1Inf. It is the anharmonic transformation rotating the punctures 0 ↦ 1 ↦ ∞ ↦ 0; it
moves the basepoint 1/2 to 2.
Equations
Instances For
The self-homeomorphism z ↦ (z − 1) / z of the thrice-punctured sphere, the composite
mob1Inf ∘ mob01. It is the anharmonic transformation rotating the punctures 0 ↦ ∞ ↦ 1 ↦ 0,
inverse to mobRot; it moves the basepoint 1/2 to −1.
Equations
Instances For
mobRot has the formula z ↦ 1 / (1 - z).
mobRotInv has the formula z ↦ (z - 1) / z.
mobRot and mobRotInv are inverse when composed in this order.
mobRotInv and mobRot are inverse when composed in this order.
The square of the rotation mobRot is its inverse.
The rotation mobRot has order three.
The self-homeomorphism z ↦ 1 / z of the thrice-punctured sphere, the composite
mob01 ∘ mob1Inf ∘ mob01. It is the anharmonic transformation exchanging the punctures 0 and
∞ and fixing 1; it moves the basepoint 1/2 to 2.
Equations
Instances For
mob0Inf has the formula z ↦ 1 / z.
z ↦ 1 / z is an involution.
The images of the basepoint #
The Möbius transformations of the Riemann sphere #
The matrix !![-1, 1; 0, 1] of the Möbius transformation z ↦ 1 − z, which restricts to
mob01 on the thrice-punctured sphere.
Equations
Instances For
The matrix !![1, 0; 1, -1] of the Möbius transformation z ↦ z / (z − 1), which restricts
to mob1Inf on the thrice-punctured sphere.
Equations
Instances For
The Möbius transformation of mob01GL fixes ∞.
The Möbius transformation of mob1InfGL sends 1 to ∞.
The Möbius transformation of mob1InfGL sends ∞ to 1.
mob01 is the restriction of the Möbius transformation of mob01GL to the thrice-punctured
sphere.
mob1Inf is the restriction of the Möbius transformation of mob1InfGL to the
thrice-punctured sphere.
mobRot is the restriction of the Möbius transformation of mob01GL * mob1InfGL to the
thrice-punctured sphere.
mobRotInv is the restriction of the Möbius transformation of mob1InfGL * mob01GL to the
thrice-punctured sphere.
mob0Inf is the restriction of the Möbius transformation of
mob01GL * mob1InfGL * mob01GL to the thrice-punctured sphere.