Geometry and entropies in a fixed conformal class on surfaces

Abstract

We show the flexibility of the metric entropy and obtain additional restrictions on the topological entropy of geodesic flow on closed surfaces of negative Euler characteristic with smooth non-positively curved Riemannian metrics with fixed total area in a fixed conformal class. Moreover, we obtain a collar lemma, a thick-thin decomposition, and precompactness for the considered class of metrics. Also, we extend some of the results to metrics of fixed total area in a fixed conformal class with no focal points and with some integral bounds on the positive part of the Gaussian curvature.

Minor changes to exposition. Final version, to appear in Annales de l'Institut Fourier