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Closed Minimal Surfaces in Cusped Hyperbolic Three-manifolds

Motivated by classical theorems on minimal surface theory in compact hyperbolic three-manifolds, we investigate the questions of existence and deformations for least area minimal surfaces in complete noncompact hyperbolic three-manifold of finite volume. We prove any closed immersed incompressible surface can be deformed to a closed immersed least area surface within its homotopy class in any cusped hyperbolic three-manifold. Our techniques highlight how special structures of these cusped hyperbolic three-manifolds prevent any least area minimal surface going too deep into the cusped region.