The paper proves a result on the convergence of discrete conformal maps to the Riemann mappings for Jordan domains. It is a counterpart of Rodin-Sullivans theorem on convergence of circle packing mappings to the Riemann mapping in the new setting of discrete conformality. The proof follows the same strategy that Rodin-Sullivan used by establishing a rigidity result for regular hexagonal triangulations of the plane and estimating the quasiconformal constants associated to the discrete conformal maps.
Discrete conformal structure on polyhedral surfaces is a discrete analogue of the smooth conformal structure on surfaces that assigns discrete metrics by scalar functions defined on vertices. In this paper, we introduce combinatorial $alpha$-curvature for discrete conformal structures on polyhedral surfaces, which is a parameterized generalization of the classical combinatorial curvature. Then we prove the local and global rigidity of combinatorial $alpha$-curvature with respect to discrete conformal structures on polyhedral surfaces, which confirms parameterized Glickenstein rigidity conjecture. To study the Yamabe problem for combinatorial $alpha$-curvature, we introduce combinatorial $alpha$-Ricci flow for discrete conformal structures on polyhedral surfaces, which is a generalization of Chow-Luos combinatorial Ricci flow for Thurstons circle packings and Luos combinatorial Yamabe flow for vertex scaling on polyhedral surfaces. To handle the potential singularities of the combinatorial $alpha$-Ricci flow, we extend the flow through the singularities by extending the inner angles in triangles by constants. Under the existence of a discrete conformal structure with prescribed combinatorial curvature, the solution of extended combinatorial $alpha$-Ricci flow is proved to exist for all time and converge exponentially fast for any initial value. This confirms a parameterized generalization of another conjecture of Glickenstein on the convergence of combinatorial Ricci flow, gives an almost equivalent characterization of the solvability of Yamabe problem for combinatorial $alpha$-curvature in terms of combinatorial $alpha$-Ricci flow and provides an effective algorithm for finding discrete conformal structures with prescribed combinatorial $alpha$-curvatures.
A discrete conformality for hyperbolic polyhedral surfaces is introduced in this paper. This discrete conformality is shown to be computable. It is proved that each hyperbolic polyhedral metric on a closed surface is discrete conformal to a unique hyperbolic polyhedral metric with a given discrete curvature satisfying Gauss-Bonnet formula. Furthermore, the hyperbolic polyhedral metric with given curvature can be obtained using a discrete Yamabe flow with surgery. In particular, each hyperbolic polyhedral metric on a closed surface with negative Euler characteristic is discrete conformal to a unique hyperbolic metric.
Discrete conformal structure on polyhedral surfaces is a discrete analogue of the conformal structure on smooth surfaces, which includes tangential circle packing, Thurstons circle packing, inversive distance circle packing and vertex scaling as special cases and generalizes them to a very general context. Glickenstein conjectured the rigidity of discrete conformal structures on polyhedral surfaces, which includes Luos conjecture on the rigidity of vertex scaling and Bowers-Stephensons conjecture on the rigidity of inversive distance circle packings on polyhedral surfaces as special cases. We prove Glickensteins conjecture using a variational principle. We further study the deformation of discrete conformal structures on polyhedral surfaces by combinatorial curvature flows. It is proved that the combinatorial Ricci flow for discrete conformal structures, which is a generalization of Chow-Luos combinatorial Ricci flow for circle packings and Luos combinatorial Yamabe flow for vertex scaling, could be extended to exist for all time and the extended combinatorial Ricci flow converges exponentially fast for any initial data if the discrete conformal structure with prescribed combinatorial curvature exists. This confirms another conjecture of Glickenstein on the convergence of the combinatorial Ricci flow and provides an effective algorithm for finding discrete conformal structures with prescribed combinatorial curvatures. The relationship of discrete conformal structures on polyhedral surfaces and 3-dimensional hyperbolic geometry is also discussed. As a result, we obtain some new convexities of the co-volume functions for some generalized 3-dimensional hyperbolic tetrahedra.
This paper investigates the combinatorial $alpha$-curvature for vertex scaling of piecewise hyperbolic metrics on polyhedral surfaces, which is a parameterized generalization of the classical combinatorial curvature. A discrete uniformization theorem for combinatorial $alpha$-curvature is established, which generalizes Gu-Guo-Luo-Sun-Wus discrete uniformization theorem for classical combinatorial curvature. We further introduce combinatorial $alpha$-Yamabe flow and combinatorial $alpha$-Calabi flow for vertex scaling to find piecewise hyperbolic metrics with prescribed combinatorial $alpha$-curvatures. To handle the potential singularities along the combinatorial curvature flows, we do surgery along the flows by edge flipping. Using the discrete conformal theory established by Gu-Guo-Luo-Sun-Wu, we prove the longtime existence and convergence of combinatorial $alpha$-Yamabe flow and combinatorial $alpha$-Calabi flow with surgery, which provide effective algorithms for finding piecewise hyperbolic metrics with prescribed combinatorial $alpha$-curvatures.
The notions of discrete conformality on triangle meshes have rich mathematical theories and wide applications. The related notions of discrete uniformizations on triangle meshes, suggest efficient methods for computing the uniformizations of surfaces. This paper proves that the discrete uniformizations approximate the continuous uniformization for closed surfaces of genus $geq1$, when the approximating triangle meshes are reasonably good. To the best of the authors knowledge, this is the first convergence result on computing uniformizations for surfaces of genus $>1$.