Projections in the curve complex arising from covering maps

Abstract

Let $P : \Sigma \rightarrow S$ be a finite degree covering map between surfaces. Rafi and Schleimer show that there is an induced quasi-isometric embedding $\Pi : \mathcal{C}(S) \rightarrow \mathcal{C}(\Sigma)$ between the associated curve complexes. We define an operation on curves in $\mathcal{C}(\Sigma)$ using minimal intersection number conditions and prove that it approximates a nearest point projection to $\Pi(\mathcal{C}(S))$. We also approximate hulls of finite sets of vertices in the curve complex, together with their corresponding nearest point projections, using intersection numbers.