Total boundedness and bornologies

A set A in a metric space is called totally bounded if for each ε>0 the set can be ε-approximated by a finite set. If this can be done, the finite set can always be chosen inside A. If the finite sets are replaced by an arbitrary approximating family of sets, this coincidence may disappear. We present necessary and sufficient conditions for the coincidence assuming only that the family is closed under finite unions. A complete analysis of the structure of totally bounded sets is presented in the case that the approximating family is a bornology, where approximation in either sense amounts to approximation in Hausdorff distance by members of the bornology.     

Realization of all Dold's congruences with stability

The main goal of this paper is to prove that for each n>2, every sequence of integers satisfying Dold's congruences is realized as the sequence of fixed point indices of the iterates of an orientation preserving Rn-homeomorphism at an isolated stable fixed point. We use Conley index techniques even though stable fixed points are not isolated invariant sets.     

A triangular map with homoclinic orbits and no infinite ω-limit set containing periodic points

Recently, Forti, Paganoni and Smítal constructed an example of a triangular map of the unite square, F(x,y)=(f(x),g(x,y)), possessing periodic orbits of all periods and such that no infinite ω-limit set of F contains a periodic point. In this note we show that the above quoted map F has a homoclinic orbit. As a consequence, we answer in the negative the problem presented by A.N. Sharkovsky in the eighties whether, for a triangular map of the square, existence of a homoclinic orbit implies the existence of an infinite ω-limit set containing a periodic point. It is well known that, for a continuous map of the interval, the answer is positive.     

Choquet simplices as spaces of invariant probability measures on post-critical sets

A well-known consequence of the ergodic decomposition theorem is that the space of invariant probability measures of a topological dynamical system, endowed with the weak^∗ topology, is a non-empty metrizable Choquet simplex. We show that every non-empty metrizable Choquet simplex arises as the space of invariant probability measures on the post-critical set of a logistic map. Here, the post-critical set of a logistic map is the ω-limit set of its unique critical point. In fact we show the logistic map f can be taken in such a way that its post-critical set is a Cantor set where f   is minimal, and such that each invariant probability measure on this set has zero Lyapunov exponent, and is an equilibrium state for the potential −ln|f^′|$-\ln |f^{\prime }|$.     

Almost periodic points and minimal sets in ω-regular spaces

In this paper a notion of ω-regular space is raised, which is an extension of that of regular space, and several known results concerning almost periodic points and minimal sets of maps are generalized from regular spaces to ω-regular spaces.     

IFS attractors and Cantor sets

We build a metric space which is homeomorphic to a Cantor set but cannot be realized as the attractor of an iterated function system. We give also an example of a Cantor set K in R³ such that every homeomorphism f of R³ which preserves K coincides with the identity on K.     

Algorithms for finding connected separators between antipodal points

A set (or a collection of sets) contained in the Euclidean space Rm is symmetric if it is invariant under the antipodal map. Given a symmetric unicoherent polyhedron X (like an n-dimensional cube or a sphere) and an odd real function f defined on vertices of a certain symmetric triangulation of X, we algorithmically construct a connected symmetric separator of X by choosing a subcollection of the triangulation. Each element of the subcollection contains the vertices v and u such that f(v)f(u)?0.     

Stability and extensibility results for abstract skew-product semiflows

In this paper we present new stability and extensibility results for skew-product semiflows with a minimal base flow. In particular, we describe the structure of uniformly stable and uniformly asymptotically stable sets admitting backwards orbits and the structure of omega-limit sets. As an application, the occurrence of almost periodic and almost automorphic dynamics for monotone non-autonomous infinite delay functional differential equations is analyzed.     

Thin-type dense sets and related properties

We build on Gruenhage, Natkaniec, and Piotrowski?s study of thin, very thin, and slim dense sets in products, and the related notions of (NC) and (GC) which they introduced. We find examples of separable spaces X such that X² has a thin or slim dense set but no countable one. We characterize ordered spaces that satisfy (GC) and (NC), and we give an example of a separable space which satisfies (GC) but not witnessed by a collection of finite sets. We show that the question of when the topological sum of two countable strongly irresolvable spaces satisfies (NC) is related to the Rudin-Keisler order on βω. We also introduce and study the concepts of <κ-thin and superslim dense sets.     

A non-ergodic probabilistic cellular automaton with a unique invariant measure

We exhibit a Probabilistic Cellular Automaton (PCA) on {0,1}^Z with a neighborhood of size 2 which is non-ergodic although it has a unique invariant measure. This answers by the negative an old open question on whether uniqueness of the invariant measure implies ergodicity for a PCA.     

The realization of Smale solenoid type attractors in 3-manifolds

We study how to realize Smale solenoid type attractors in 3-manifolds. It is already known that we can restrict the 3-manifolds to lens spaces. We get all Smale solenoids realized in a given lens space through an inductive construction. We turn this around to address the question of how to decide whether a closed braid is a trivial knot in S³. For a diffeomorphism f of a 3-manifold M that realizes a Smale solenoid, it is natural to ask whether f⁻¹ also realizes a Smale solenoid. We relate this question to exchangeable braids, and for some special positive case, we describe the relation between the two Smale solenoids of f and f⁻¹.     

On almost periodic orbits and minimal sets

In this short note we solve in the negative the three problems recently posed by Jie-Hua Mai and Wei-Hua Sun regarding the behaviour of almost periodic orbits and minimal sets of dynamical systems whose phase space is not regular.     

Blockers in hyperspaces

Given a metric continuum X, let X² and C(X) denote the hyperspaces of all nonempty closed subsets and subcontinua, respectively. For A,B∈X² we say that B does not block A if A∩B=∅ and the union of all subcontinua of X intersecting A and contained in X−B is dense in X. In this paper we study some sets of blockers for several kinds of continua. In particular, we determine their Borel classes and, for a large class of locally connected continua X, we recognize them as cap-sets.     

Nielsen classes of orientation reversing homeomorphisms and complementary domains of plane separating invariant continua

Let h be an orientation reversing planar homeomorphism and X be an invariant plane separating continuum. We show that there is a natural linear order on the invariant components of R²?X that resemble the one found in connected unions of circles invariant under the reflection r(x,y)=(−x,y). The main result relates to the Nielsen fixed point theory and work of Krystyna Kuperberg on fixed points of planar homeomorphisms in invariant continua.     

The Sarkovskii order for periodic continua

Suppose f is a map of a continuum X onto itself. A periodic continuum of f is a subcontinuum K of X such that fn[K]=K for some positive integer n. A proper periodic continuum of f is a periodic continuum of f that is a proper subcontinuum of X. A proper periodic continuum of f is maximal if and only if X is the only periodic continuum that properly contains it. In this paper it is shown that the maximal proper periodic continua of a map of a hereditarily decomposable chainable continuum onto itself follow the Sarkovskii order, provided the maximal proper periodic continua are disjoint. The case in which the Sarkovskii order does not hold reduces to the scenario in which the map's domain is the union of two overlapping period-two continua, each of which is maximal.     

On open problems concerning distributional chaos for triangular maps

We show that in the class T of the triangular maps (x,y)?(f(x),g_x(y)) of the square there is a map of type 2^∞ with non-minimal recurrent points which is not DC3. We also show that every DC1 continuous map of a compact metric space has a trajectory which cannot be (weakly) approximated by trajectories of compact periodic sets. These two results make possible to answer some open questions concerning classification of maps in T with zero topological entropy, and contribute to an old problem formulated by A.N. Sharkovsky.     

Embedding solenoids in foliations

In this paper we find smooth embeddings of solenoids in smooth foliations. We show that if a smooth foliation F of a manifold M contains a compact leaf L with H¹(L;R) not equal to 0 and if the foliation is a product foliation in some saturated open neighborhood U of L, then there exists a foliation F^′ on M which is C¹-close to F, and F^′ has an uncountable set of solenoidal minimal sets contained in U that are pairwise non-homeomorphic. If H¹(L;R) is 0, then it is known that any sufficiently small perturbation of F contains a saturated product neighborhood. Thus, our result can be thought of as an instability result complementing the stability results of Reeb, Thurston and Langevin and Rosenberg.     

Orthonormal expansions of invariant densities for expanding maps

We give a novel way of constructing the density function for the absolutely continuous invariant measure of piecewise expanding C^ω Markov maps. This is a classical problem, with one of the standard approaches being Ulam's method [Problems in Modern Mathematics, Interscience, New York, 1960] of phase space discretisation.Our method hinges instead on the expansion of the density function with respect to an L² orthonormal basis, and the computation of the expansion coefficients in terms of the periodic orbits of the expanding map. The efficiency of the method, and its extension to C^k expanding maps, are also discussed.     

Transitive points via Furstenberg family

Let (X,T) be a topological dynamical system and F be a Furstenberg family (a collection of subsets of Z₊ with hereditary upward property). A point x∈X is called an F-transitive one if {n∈Z₊:Tnx∈U}∈F for every non-empty open subset U of X; the system (X,T) is called F-point transitive if there exists some F-transitive point. In this paper, we aim to classify transitive systems by F-point transitivity. Among other things, it is shown that (X,T) is a weakly mixing E-system (resp. weakly mixing M-system, HY-system) if and only if it is {D-sets}-point transitive (resp. {central sets}-point transitive, {weakly thick sets}-point transitive).It is shown that every weakly mixing system is Fip-point transitive, while we construct an Fip-point transitive system which is not weakly mixing. As applications, we show that every transitive system with dense small periodic sets is disjoint from every totally minimal system and a system is Δ^?(Fwt)-transitive if and only if it is weakly disjoint from every P-system.     

A note on chaos via Furstenberg family couple

The concepts of the first type of distributional chaos in the Tan-Xiong sense (Abbrev. DC1 in the Tan-Xiong sense), the second type of strong-distributional chaos (Abbrev. strong DC2) and the third type of strong-distributional chaos (Abbrev. strong DC3) were introduced by Tan et al. [F. Tan, J. Xiong. Chaos via Furstenberg family couple, Topology Appl. (2008), doi:10.1016/j.topol.2008.08.006] for continuous maps of a metric space. However, it turns out that, for continuous maps of a compact metric space, the three mutually nonequivalent versions of distributional chaos can be discussed. Let X be a compact metric space and f:X→X a continuous map. In this paper, we show that for any integer N>0, f is strong DC2 (resp. strong DC3) if and only if f^N is strong DC2 (resp. strong DC3). We also show that the above three versions of distributional chaos are topological conjugacy invariant. In addition, as an application, we present an example.