Convex projective surfaces with compatible Weyl connection are hyperbolic

Abstract

We show that a properly convex projective structure $\mathfrak{p}$ on a closed oriented surface of negative Euler characteristic arises from a Weyl connection if and only if $\mathfrak{p}$ is hyperbolic. We phrase the problem as a non-linear PDE for a Beltrami differential by using that $\mathfrak{p}$ admits a compatible Weyl connection if and only if a certain holomorphic curve exists. Turning this non-linear PDE into a transport equation, we obtain our result by applying methods from geometric inverse problems. In particular, we use an extension of a remarkable $L^2$-energy identity known as Pestov's identity to prove a vanishing theorem for the relevant transport equation.

23 pages, added Corollary 4.6, references updated, typos corrected