Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2017 / iii / Paper 132 / 1

Fix $z_0\in \mathcal{U}$. We prove the Riemann mapping theorem in this case by maximizing a normalized derivative. Choose $a\notin \mathcal{U}$. Since $\mathcal{U}$ is a simply connected domain and $z-a$ never vanishes, it has a holomorphic square root $g$. This $g$ is injective, and $g(\mathcal{U})$ is disjoint from $-g(\mathcal{U})$: equality up to sign would first force the original points to coincide. Choose $b\in g(\mathcal{U})$ and $r>0$ with $B(b,r)\subset g(\mathcal{U})$. The ball $B(-b,r)$ is omitted, so $1/(g+b)$ is a bounded univalent function. Scaling and composing with an automorphism of the unit disk produces an injective holomorphic function $\varphi :\mathcal{U}\to \mathbb{D}$ with $\varphi (z_0)=0$ and ${\varphi }^{\prime }(z_0)>0$.

Let $\mathcal{F}$ be the family of all such normalized univalent functions. A Cauchy estimate in a small disk about $z_0$ bounds their derivatives, so $M={\sup }_{\varphi \in \mathcal{F}}{\varphi }^{\prime }(z_0)$ is finite and positive. Choose a maximizing sequence in this normal family. Montel theorem gives a subsequence converging uniformly on compact subsets to $\varphi$. Its derivative at $z_0$ is $M>0$. The maximum modulus principle puts its image in $\mathbb{D}$, and Hurwitz's theorem implies that a nonconstant limit of injective holomorphic functions is injective. Thus the maximum is attained.

If $a_1\in \mathbb{D}$ is omitted, then $a_1\ne 0$. Put $T_a(w)=(w-a)/(1-\overline{a}w)$. A holomorphic square root $v$ of $T_{a_1}\circ \varphi$ exists, is injective, and takes values in $\mathbb{D}$. Compose $v$ with $T_{v(z_0)}$ and a rotation to normalize it. Writing $s=|a_1|\in (0,1)$, the new derivative has magnitudea contradiction. Therefore $\varphi$ maps onto $\mathbb{D}$. The Cayley transform between the half-plane and disk now givesIts inverse is holomorphic by the holomorphic inverse function theorem, so this is a biholomorphism. The proper-subset hypothesis was used to choose $a\notin \mathcal{U}$; the whole complex plane cannot be mapped this way, by Liouville theorem.

Interpret the printed congruence entrywise in the integer lattice:It then defines the usual level-two principal congruence subgroup of ${\mathrm{SL}}_2(\mathbb{Z})$, despite the PDF's ambient ${\mathrm{SL}}_2(\mathbb{R})$. A literal ideal congruence inside $\mathbb{R}$ would be vacuous because $2\mathbb{R}=\mathbb{R}$, and would make the asserted conclusion false. The integer-lattice interpretation is essential.

Pass to $\overline{\Gamma (2)}=\Gamma (2)/\{\pm I\}$, which has exactly the same action. Reduction modulo two maps the modular group onto ${\mathrm{SL}}_2({\mathbb{F}}_2)$, a group of order six: the reductions of $S$ and $T$ generate it. Its kernel is $\overline{\Gamma (2)}$, so the index of a subgroup is six. The standard fundamental domain of the modular group has hyperbolic area $\pi /3$, and hence the quotient has hyperbolic area $2\pi$.

There are no nonidentity elliptic Möbius transformations in $\overline{\Gamma (2)}$. An integral matrix representing an elliptic Möbius transformation has trace $0$ or $\pm 1$. Here the trace is even, excluding $\pm 1$; trace zero would give $d=-a$ and $1=-a^2-bc\equiv -1(\mathrm{mod}4)$, impossible. Thus the effective action is a free properly discontinuous group action, and the quotient is a Riemann surface.

A cusp of a modular group is represented by a rational boundary point. Their orbits correspond towhich has $6/2=3$ elements. They are represented by $\infty ,0,1$, or by the three nonzero parity vectors of a primitive numerator-denominator pair. Each width of a cusp is two. A union of six copies of the standard fundamental domain of the modular group gives a fundamental region for this subgroup. Removing small horocycle neighbourhoods of its cusps leaves a compact core. Adding one point at each cusp of a modular group, using the local parameter $e^{\pi iz}$ after moving that cusp to infinity, gives a compact Riemann surface $\overline{X}$.

For a finite-area hyperbolic surface of genus $g$ with $r$ cusps, the Gauss-Bonnet theorem gives area $2\pi (2g-2+r)$. Thus $2\pi =2\pi (2g-2+3)$ and $g=0$. A compact genus-zero Riemann surface is the Riemann sphere, by the uniformization theorem. A Möbius transformation sends the three added points to $0,1,\infty$. Restricting it gives

Use the Gaussian curvature $-1$ normalizationof the Poincaré half-plane model. This is a complete conformal metric, invariant under real Möbius transformations. Its quotient by the free effective principal congruence subgroup is again complete: a geodesic lifts to the complete covering plane and extends there for all time. Transporting the quotient metric through the biholomorphism supplies the required complete conformal metric.

A nonconstant closed geodesic corresponds to a hyperbolic Möbius transformation $A$ of $\Gamma (2)$, and its hyperbolic translation length is $2\mathrm{arcosh}(|\mathrm{tr}A|/2)$. Indeed its eigenvalues have magnitudes $\lambda ,{\lambda }^{-1}$ with $\lambda >1$, and its axis quotient has length $2\log \lambda$. For $A=\left(\begin{array}{cc}a& b\\ c& d\end{array}\right)$ in $\Gamma (2)$, $bc\equiv 0(\mathrm{mod}4)$ implies $ad\equiv 1(\mathrm{mod}4)$. The odd numbers $a,d$ therefore have the same residue modulo four, andA hyperbolic Möbius transformation must have $|\mathrm{tr}A|>2$, so its smallest possible absolute trace is six. It is attained byConsequentlyThis element is primitive: a proper power would have a shorter root represented by a hyperbolic Möbius transformation, contradicting the trace bound. No essential simple closed geodesic exists on the three-punctured sphere, since every essential simple loop is peripheral and corresponds to a parabolic Möbius transformation. The minimizing closed geodesic is therefore nonsimple. Finally, the PDF leaves the numerical Gaussian curvature unspecified: the displayed length uses Gaussian curvature $-1$; for Gaussian curvature $-{\kappa }^2$, it is divided by $\kappa$.