We develop a theory to connect the following three areas: (a) the mean field equations on flat tori, (b) the classical Lame equations and (c) modular forms. A major theme in part I is a classification of developing maps f attached to solutions of the mean field equation according to the types of transformation laws (or monodromy) with respect to the period lattice satisfied by f.

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We undertake a systematic study of the infinitesimal geometry of the Thurston metric, showing that the topology, convex geometry and metric geometry of the tangent and cotangent spheres based at any marked hyperbolic surface representing a point in Teichmüller space can recover the marking and geometry of this marked surface. We then translate the results concerning the infinitesimal structures to global geometric statements for the Thurston metric, most notably deriving rigidity statements for the Thurston metric analogous to the celebrated Royden theorem.

We derive local integral and sup- estimates for the curvature of stable marginally outer trapped surfaces in a sliced space-time. The estimates bound the shear of a marginally outer trapped surface in terms of the intrinsic and extrinsic curvature of a slice containing the surface. These estimates are well adapted to situations of physical interest, such as dynamical horizons.

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