Hyperbolic space (${\mathbb{H}}^n$)

The complete simply connected Riemannian manifold of dimension $n$ with constant sectional curvature $-1$ is hyperbolic space. In the upper half-space model its metric is $d{s}^2=(d{x}_1^2+\cdots +d{x}_n^2)/x_n^2$ for $x_n>0$. Its ideal boundary in dimension three is the Riemann sphere.

In the positive Hermitian determinant-one model of three-dimensional hyperbolic space, the base point is $I$ and a matrix $g\in SL(2,\mathbb{C})$ sends it to $g{g}^{\ast }$. The distance obeys $2\cosh d(I,g{g}^{\ast })=\mathrm{tr}(g{g}^{\ast })$. Bounded displacement therefore bounds every matrix entry, and the determinant-one condition gives a closed bounded subset of a finite-dimensional real vector space. Passing to $PSL(2,\mathbb{C})$ preserves compactness. Conjugating moves any chosen base point to $I$. A discrete subgroup meets each such compact set in finitely many elements, proving escape of distinct elements and proper discontinuity, including finite stabilizers.

For a nonempty finite set $\{p_1,\dots ,p_m\}$ in finite-dimensional hyperbolic space, the continuous function $R(x)={\max }_{j}d(x,p_j)$ attains its minimum. Indeed, a bounded candidate radius confines all possible improving centers to a closed bounded ball about $p_1$. Such a ball is compact in the Poincare ball model, since its points remain away from the ideal boundary. Minimizing $R$ on it supplies a closed ball of smallest enclosing radius. More generally this argument works for any nonempty bounded set in a proper metric space when the supremum-distance function is finite.

An isometry of hyperbolic space with positive attained translation length has an invariant complete geodesic joining its two ideal fixed points. This is its axis. It translates along the axis by its translation length; in three dimensions it may additionally rotate around it. In upper half-space, $(z,t)\mapsto (kz,|k|t)$ with $|k|\ne 1$ has the vertical axis through zero and length $|\log |k||$. Every connecting path has length at least the change in $\log t$, and a vertical segment attains the bound.

The unit ball in Euclidean space with the displayed Riemannian metric models hyperbolic space of curvature minus one. Its ideal boundary is the unit sphere, and its geodesics are diameters or circle arcs orthogonal to that sphere. The metric is invariant under the conformal ball automorphisms.

A Möbius transformation of the ideal two-sphere extends uniquely to an orientation-preserving isometry of three-dimensional hyperbolic space. In upper half-space, translations, complex similarities, and $z\mapsto -1/z$ extend respectively to $(z,t)\mapsto (z+b,t)$, $(\lambda z,|\lambda |t)$, and $(-\overline{z},t)/(|z{|}^2+t^2)$. Each preserves $(|dz{|}^2+d{t}^2)/t^2$; composing these extensions constructs the general case. Ball-origin stabilizers are ordinary rotations, represented on the boundary by $SU(2)$ modulo its central signs.