On type-preserving representations of the thrice punctured projective plane group

Abstract: In this paper we consider type-preserving representations of the fundamental group of the three--holed projective plane into $\mathrm{PGL}(2, \R) =\mathrm{Isom}(\HH^2)$ and study the connected components with non-maximal euler class. We show that in euler class zero for all such representations there is a one simple closed curve which is non-hyperbolic, while in euler class $\pm 1$ we show that there are $6$ components where all the simple closed curves are sent to hyperbolic elements and $2$ components where there are simple closed curves sent to non-hyperbolic elements. This answer a question asked by Brian Bowditch. In addition, we show also that in most of these components the action of the mapping class group on these non-maximal component is ergodic. In this work, we use an extension of Kashaev's theory of decorated character varieties to the context of non-orientable surfaces.