Non-arithmeticity of length spectra of subgroups of mapping class groups

Abstract

In this paper, we prove that every non-elementary subgroup of the mapping class group of a surface has non-arithmetic Teichm\"uller length spectrum. Namely, Teichm\"uller translation lengths of its pseudo-Anosov elements generate a dense additive subgroup of $\mathbb{R}$. We prove this by introducing the notion of cross-ratios on $\mathcal{MF}$ and $\mathcal{PMF}$, and studying its geometric and dynamical properties, despite the lack of negatively curved features of the Teichm\"uller space nor the conformal geometry on $\mathcal{PMF}$.