Confocal Families of Hyperbolic Conics via Quadratic Differentials

Abstract

We apply the theory of quadratic differentials, to present a classification of orthogonal pairs of foliations of the hyperbolic plane by hyperbolic conics. Light rays are represented by trajectories of meromorphic differentials, and mirrors are represented by trajectories of the quadratic differential that represents the geometric mean of two such differentials. Using the notion of a hyperbolic conic as a mirror, we classify the types of orthogonal pairs of foliations of the hyperbolic plane by confocal conics. Up to diffeomorphism, there are nine types: three of these types admit one parameter up to isometry; the remaining six types are unique up to isometry. The families include all possible hyperbolic conics.