Combinatorial growth in the modular group

Abstract

We consider an exhaustion of the modular orbifold by compact subsurfaces and show that the growth rate, in terms of word length, of the reciprocal geodesics on such subsurfaces (so named low lying reciprocal geodesics) converge to the growth rate of the full set of reciprocal geodesics on the modular orbifold. We derive a similar result for the low lying geodesics and their growth rate convergence to the growth rate of the full set of closed geodesics.