Polynomial cubic differentials and convex polygons in the projective plane

We construct and study a natural homeomorphism between the moduli space of polynomial cubic differentials of degree d on the complex plane and the space of projective equivalence classes of oriented convex polygons with d+3 vertices. This map arises from the construction of a complete hyperbolic affine sphere with prescribed Pick differential, and can be seen as an analogue of the Labourie-Loftin parameterization of convex RP^2 structures on a compact surface by the bundle of holomorphic cubic differentials over Teichmuller space.Comment: 64 pages, 5 figures. v3: Minor revisions according to referee report. v2: Corrections in section 5 and related new material in appendix

Asymptotics of Hitchin's metric on the Hitchin section

We consider Hitchin's hyperk\"ahler metric $g$ on the moduli space $\mathcal{M}$ of degree zero $\mathrm{SL}(2)$-Higgs bundles over a compact Riemann surface. It has been conjectured that, when one goes to infinity along a generic ray in $\mathcal{M}$, $g$ converges to an explicit "semiflat" metric $g^{\mathrm{sf}}$, with an exponential rate of convergence. We show that this is indeed the case for the restriction of $g$ to the tangent bundle of the Hitchin section $\mathcal{B} \subset \mathcal{M}$.Comment: 22 pages, 1 figure. v2: Minor revision

Slicing, skinning, and grafting

We prove that a Bers slice is never algebraic, meaning that its Zariski closure in the character variety has strictly larger dimension. A corollary is that skinning maps are never constant. The proof uses grafting and the theory of complex projective structures.Comment: 11 pages, 1 figure, to appear in American Journal of Mathematic