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Journal of the European Mathematical Society 9, 4 (2007) 801-840
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On the complexity of braids
Ivan Dynnikov 1, Bert Wiest 2
(2007)

We define a measure of "complexity" of a braid which is natural with respect to both an algebraic and a geometric point of view. Algebraically, we modify the standard notion of the length of a braid by introducing generators $\Delta_{ij}$, which are Garside-like half-twists involving strings $i$ through $j$, and by counting powered generators $\Delta_{ij}^k$ as $\log(|k|+1)$ instead of simply $|k|$. The geometrical complexity is some natural measure of the amount of distortion of the $n$ times punctured disk caused by a homeomorphism. Our main result is that the two notions of complexity are comparable. This gives rise to a new combinatorial model for the Teichmueller space of an $n+1$ times punctured sphere. We also show how to recover a braid from its curve diagram in polynomial time. The key rôle in the proofs is played by a technique introduced by Agol, Hass, and Thurston.
1 :  Dept. of Mechanics and Mathematics (Dept. of Mechanics and Mathematics, Moscow State University)
Lomonosov Moscow State University
2 :  Institut de Recherche Mathématique de Rennes (IRMAR)
CNRS : UMR6625 – Université de Rennes 1 – École normale supérieure de Cachan - ENS Cachan – Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA) : - RENNES – Université de Rennes II - Haute Bretagne
Mathématiques/Topologie géométrique

Mathématiques/Théorie des groupes
braid – curve diagram – complexity – lamination – Teichmüller space
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