arXiv subjects

Sébastien Alvarez

Publications and source records attributed to Sébastien Alvarez.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Foliated Plateau problems, surface Radon transforms, and boundary area rigidity in dimension three

The present paper studies integral geometry problems on three-dimensional Riemannian balls, where integration is performed over minimal surfaces or, more generally, $Φ$-surfaces defined by an elliptic curvature functional $Φ$. The space of all $Φ$-surfaces spanned by round circles on the boundary is a three-dimensional manifold, which we call the space of circles. We show that, when the metric is $Φ$-simple - a notion which extends to this setting the notion of simple metrics in the geodesic case -, the Gauss lifts of the $Φ$-surfaces define a foliation of the unit tangent bundle that should be viewed as a two-dimensional analogue of the standard geodesic foliation. This is achieved by solving a foliated Plateau problem on the ball. We then analyze the associated surface Radon transform corresponding to integration along the surfaces and show that it has a finite-dimensional kernel; we also prove that it is injective for an open and dense set of metrics. In the special case of a foliation by minimal surfaces, we apply these results to solve the following boundary area rigidity problem: does the collection of areas of the minimal surfaces determine the metric up to isometry?

math.DG↗

arXiv2026

Stability and uniqueness of minimal disks in non-constant curvature

Nitsche proved that every smooth Jordan curve in $\mathbb{R}^3$ of total curvature at most $4π$ bounds a unique minimal disk, which is moreover strictly stable. We prove an analogue of this result for Riemannian $3$-balls with mean convex boundary, under an explicit pinching condition on the negative sectional curvature, together with a bound on the covariant derivative of the Ricci tensor. In this setting, every smooth Jordan curve in the boundary sphere of total curvature at most $4π$ bounds a unique embedded minimal disk which is strictly stable.

math.DG↗

arXiv2025

Rigidity of the hyperbolic marked energy spectrum and entropy for $k$-surfaces

Labourie raised the question of determining the possible asymptotics for the growth rate of compact $k$-surfaces, counted according to energy, in negatively curved $3$-manifolds, indicating the possibility of a theory of thermodynamical formalism for this class of surfaces. Motivated by this question and by analogous results for the geodesic flow, we prove a number of results concerning the asymptotic behavior of high energy $k$-surfaces, especially in relation to the curvature of the ambient space. First, we determine a rigid upper bound for the growth rate of quasi-Fuchsian $k$-surfaces, counted according to energy, and with asymptotically round limit set, subject to a lower bound on the sectional curvature of the ambient space. We also study the marked energy spectrum for $k$-surfaces, proving a number of domination and rigidity theorems in this context. Finally, we show that the marked area and energy spectra for $k$-surfaces in $3$-dimensional manifolds of negative curvature are asymptotic if and only if the sectional curvature is constant.

math.DG↗

arXiv2025

Foliated Plateau problems, geometric rigidity and equidistribution of closed $k$-surfaces

In this note, we survey recent advances in the study of dynamical properties of the space of surfaces with constant curvature in three-dimensional manifolds of negative sectional curvature. We interpret this space as a two-dimensional analogue of the geodesic flow and explore the extent to which the thermodynamic properties of the latter can be generalized to the surface setting. Additionally, we apply this theory to derive geometric rigidity results, including the rigidity of the hyperbolic marked area spectrum.

math.DG↗

arXiv2024

Foliated Plateau problems and asymptotic counting of surface subgroups

In [17], Labourie initiated the study of the dynamical properties of the space of $k$-surfaces, that is, suitably complete immersed surfaces of constant extrinsic curvature in $3$-dimensional manifolds, which he presented as a higher-dimensional analogue of the geodesic flow when the ambient manifold is negatively curved. In this paper, following the recent work [5] of Calegari--Marques--Neves, we study the asymptotic counting of surface subgroups in terms of areas of $k$-surfaces. We determine a lower bound, and we prove rigidity when this bound is achieved. Our work differs from that of [5] in two key respects. Firstly, we work with all quasi-Fuchsian subgroups as opposed to merely asymptotically Fuchsian ones. Secondly, as the proof of rigidity in [5] breaks down in the present case, we require a different approach. Following ideas outlined by Labourie in [19], we prove rigidity by solving a general foliated Plateau problem in Cartan--Hadamard manifolds. To this end, we build on Labourie's theory of $k$-surface dynamics, and propose a number of new constructions, conjectures and questions.

math.DG↗

arXiv2023

Ping-pong partitions and locally discrete groups of real-analytic circle diffeomorphisms, I: Construction

Following the recent advances in the study of groups of circle diffeomorphisms, we describe an efficient way of classifying the topological dynamics of locally discrete, finitely generated, virtually free subgroups of the group $\mathsf{Diff}^ω_+(\mathbb S^1)$ of orientation preserving real-analytic circle diffeomorphisms, which include all subgroups of $\mathsf{Diff}^ω_+(\mathbb S^1)$ acting with an invariant Cantor set. An important tool that we develop, of independent interest, is the extension of classical ping-pong lemma to actions of fundamental groups of graphs of groups. Our main motivation is an old conjecture by P. R. Dippolito [Ann. Math. 107 (1978), 403--453] from foliation theory, which we solve in this restricted but significant setting: this and other consequences of the classification will be treated in more detail in a companion work.

math.GR↗

arXiv2023

Rigidity of $\mathbf{\textit{U}}$-Gibbs measures near conservative Anosov diffeomorphisms on $\mathbb{T}^3$

We show that within a $C^1$-neighbourhood $\mathcal{U}$ of the set of volume preserving Anosov diffeomorphisms on the three-torus $\mathbb{T}^3$ which are strongly partially hyperbolic with expanding center, any $f\in\mathcal{U}\cap\operatorname{Diff}^2(\mathbb{T}^3)$ satisfies the dichotomy: either the strong stable and unstable bundles $E^s$ and $E^u$ of $f$ are jointly integrable, or any fully supported $u$-Gibbs measure of $f$ is SRB.

math.DS↗

arXiv2023

Ping-pong partitions and locally discrete groups of real-analytic circle diffeomorphisms, II: Applications

In the first part of this work we have established an efficient method to obtain a topological classification of locally discrete, finitely generated, virtually free subgroups of real-analytic circle diffeomorphisms. In this second part we describe several consequences, among which the solution (within this setting) to an old conjecture by P. R. Dippolito [Ann. Math. 107 (1978), 403-453] that actions with invariant Cantor sets must be semi-conjugate to piecewise linear actions. In addition, we exhibit examples of locally discrete, minimal actions which are not of Fuchsian type.

math.DS↗

arXiv2022

Topology of leaves for minimal laminations by hyperbolic surfaces

We construct minimal laminations by hyperbolic surfaces whose generic leaf is a disk and contain any prescribed family of surfaces and with a precise control of the topologies of the surfaces that appear. The laminations are constructed via towers of finite coverings of surfaces for which we need to develop a relative version of residual finiteness which may be of independent interest. The main step in establishing this relative version of residual finiteness is to obtain finite covers with control on the \emph{second systole} of the surface, which is done in the appendix. In a companion paper, the case of other generic leaves is treated.

math.GT↗

arXiv2021

Prescription de courbure des feuilles des laminations: retour sur un théorème de Candel

In the present paper, we revisit a famous theorem by Candel that we generalize by proving that given a compact lamination by hyperbolic surfaces, every negative function smooth inside the leaves and transversally continuous is the curvature function of a unique laminated metric in the corresponding conformal class. We give an interpretation of this result as a continuity result about the solutions of some elliptic PDEs in the so called Cheeger-Gromov topology on the space of complete pointed riemannian manifolds.

math.DG↗

arXiv2021

Topology of leaves for minimal laminations by non-simply connected hyperbolic surfaces

We give the topological obstructions to be a leaf in a minimal lamination by hyperbolic surfaces whose generic leaf is homeomorphic to a Cantor tree. Then, we show that all allowed topological types can be simultaneously embedded in the same lamination. This result, together with results of Alvarez-Brum-Martínez-Potrie and Blanc, complete the panorama of understanding which topological surfaces can be leaves in minimal hyperbolic surface laminations when the topology of the generic leaf is given. In all cases, all possible topologies can be realized simultaneously.

math.GT↗

arXiv2020

Existence of common zeros for commuting vector fields on $3$-manifolds II. Solving global difficulties

We address the following conjecture about the existence of common zeros for commuting vector fields in dimension three: if $X,Y$ are two $C^1$ commuting vector fields on a $3$-manifold $M$, and $U$ is a relatively compact open such that $X$ does not vanish on the boundary of $U$ and has a non vanishing Poincaré-Hopf index in $U$, then $X$ and $Y$ have a common zero inside $U$. We prove this conjecture when $X$ and $Y$ are of class $C^3$ and every periodic orbit of $Y$ along which $X$ and $Y$ are collinear is partially hyperbolic. We also prove the conjecture, still in the $C^3$ setting, assuming that the flow $Y$ leaves invariant a transverse plane field. These results shed new light on the $C^3$ case of the conjecture.

math.DS↗

arXiv2019

Earthquakes and graftings of hyperbolic surface laminations

We study compact hyperbolic surface laminations. These are a generalization of closed hyperbolic surfaces which appear to be more suited to the study of Teichmüller theory than arbitrary non-compact surfaces. We show that the Teichmüller space of any non-trivial hyperbolic surface lamination is infinite dimensional. In order to prove this result, we study the theory of deformations of hyperbolic surfaces, and we derive what we believe to be a new formula for the derivative of the length of a simple closed geodesic with respect to the action of grafting. This formula complements those derived by McMullen in [23], in terms of the Weil-Petersson metric, and by Wolpert in [33], for the case of earthquakes.

math.DG↗

arXiv2019

Entropy, Lyapunov exponents, and rigidity of group actions

This text is an expanded series of lecture notes based on a 5-hour course given at the workshop entitled "Workshop for young researchers: Groups acting on manifolds" held in Teresópolis, Brazil in June 2016. The course introduced a number of classical tools in smooth ergodic theory -- particularly Lyapunov exponents and metric entropy -- as tools to study rigidity properties of group actions on manifolds. We do not present comprehensive treatment of group actions or general rigidity programs. Rather, we focus on two rigidity results in higher-rank dynamics: the measure rigidity theorem for affine Anosov abelian actions on tori due to A. Katok and R. Spatzier [Ergodic Theory Dynam. Systems 16, 1996] and recent the work of the main author with D. Fisher, S. Hurtado, F. Rodriguez Hertz, and Z. Wang on actions of lattices in higher-rank semisimple Lie groups on manifolds [arXiv:1608.04995; arXiv:1610.09997]. We give complete proofs of these results and present sufficient background in smooth ergodic theory needed for the proofs. A unifying theme in this text is the use of metric entropy and its relation to the geometry of conditional measures along foliations as a mechanism to verify invariance of measures.

math.DS↗

arXiv2018

Groups with infinitely many ends acting analytically on the circle

This article takes the inspiration from two milestones in the study of non minimal actions of groups on the circle: Duminy's theorem about the number of ends of semi-exceptional leaves and Ghys' freeness result in analytic regularity. Our first result concerns groups of analytic diffeomorphisms with infinitely many ends: if the action is non expanding, then the group is virtually free. The second result is a Duminy's theorem for minimal codimension one foliations: either non expandable leaves have infinitely many ends, or the holonomy pseudogroup preserves a projective structure.

math.DS↗

arXiv2018

Physical measures for the geodesic flow tangent to a transversally conformal foliation

We consider a transversally conformal foliation $\mathcal{F}$ of a closed manifold $M$ endowed with a smooth Riemannian metric whose restriction to each leaf is negatively curved. We prove that it satisfies the following dichotomy. Either there is a transverse holonomy-invariant measure for $\mathcal{F}$, or the foliated geodesic flow admits a finite number of physical measures, which have negative transverse Lyapunov exponents and whose basin cover a set full for the Lebesgue measure. We also give necessary and sufficient conditions for the foliated geodesic flow to be partially hyperbolic in the case where the foliation is transverse to a projective circle bundle over a closed hyperbolic surface.

math.DS↗

arXiv2017

Gibbs u-states for the foliated geodesic flow and transverse invariant measures

This paper is devoted to the study of Gibbs u-states for the geodesic flow tangent to a foliation with negatively curved leaves. On the one hand we give sufficient conditions for the existence of transverse invariant measures. In particular we prove that when this foliated geodesic flow preserves a Gibbs su-state, i.e. a measure with Lebesgue disintegration both in the stable and unstable horospheres, then it has to be obtained by combining a transverse invariant measure and the Liouville measure on the leaves. On the other hand we study in detail the projections of Gibbs u-states along the unit spheres tangent to the foliation. We show that they have Lebesgue disintegration in the leaves and that the local densities possess an integral representation analogue to the Poisson representation of harmonic functions.

math.DS↗

arXiv2016

A Fatou theorem for $F$-harmonic functions

In this paper we study a class of functions that appear naturally in some equidistribution problems and that we call $F$-harmonic. These are functions of the universal cover of a closed and negatively curved which possess an integral representation analogous to the Poisson representation of harmonic functions, where the role of the Poisson kernel is played by a Hölder continuous kernel. More precisely we prove a theorem à la Fatou about the nontangential convergence of quotients of such functions, from which we deduce some basic properties such as the uniqueness of the $F$-harmonic function on a compact manifold and of the integral representation of $F$-harmonic functions.

math.DS↗