Veech groups of Loch Ness monsters

Abstract

We classify Veech groups of tame non-compact flat surfaces. In particular we prove that all countable subgroups of $\mathbf{GL}_+(2,\R)$ avoiding the set of mappings of norm less than 1 appear as Veech groups of tame non-compact flat surfaces which are Loch Ness monsters. Conversely, a Veech group of any tame flat surface is either countable, or one of three specific types.Comment: 15 page