Existence,uniqueness and stability of equilibrium states for non-uniformly expanding maps

We prove existence of finitely many ergodic equilibrium states for a large class of non-uniformly expanding local homeomorphisms on compact metric spaces and Hölder continuous potentials with not very large oscillation. No Markov structure is assumed. If the transformation is topologically mixing there is a unique equilibrium state, it is exact and satisfies a non-uniform Gibbs property. Under mild additional assumptions we also prove that the equilibrium states vary continuously with the dynamics and the potentials (statistical stability) and are also stable under stochastic perturbations of the transformation.     

Absolutely continuous invariant measures for random non-uniformly expanding maps

We prove existence of (at most denumerable many) absolutely continuous invariant probability measures for random one-dimensional dynamical systems with asymptotic expansion. If the rate of expansion (Lyapunov exponents) is bounded away from zero, we obtain finitely many ergodic absolutely continuous invariant probability measures, describing the asymptotics of almost every point. We also prove a similar result for higher-dimensional random non-uniformly expanding dynamical systems. The results are consequences of the construction of such measures for skew-products with essentially arbitrary base dynamics and asymptotic expansion along the fibers. In both cases our method deals with either critical o singular points for the random maps.     

Markov structures and decay of correlations for non-uniformly expanding dynamical systems

We consider non-uniformly expanding maps on compact Riemannian manifolds of arbitrary dimension, possibly having discontinuities and/or critical sets, and show that under some general conditions they admit an induced Markov tower structure. Moreover, the decay of the return time function can be controlled in terms of the time generic points need to achieve some uniform expanding behavior. As a consequence we obtain some rates for the decay of correlations of those maps and conditions for the validity of the Central Limit Theorem.     

Repellers for non-uniformly expanding maps with singular or critical points

GivenanergodicmeasurewithpositiveentropyandonlypositiveLyapunov exponents, its dynamical quantifiers can be approximated by means of quantifiers of some family of uniformly expanding repellers. Here non-uniformly expanding maps are studied that are C ^1+β smooth outside a set of possibly critical or singular points.     

Decay of correlations for Fibonacci unimodal interval maps

We consider a class of generalized Fibonacci unimodal maps for which the central return times {s_n} satisfy that s_n = s_(n-1) +ks_(n-2) for some k ≥ 1. We show that such a unimodal map admits a unique absolutely continuous invariant probability with exactly stretched exponential decay of correlations if its critical order lies in(1, k+1).     

Equilibrium states for factor maps between subshifts

Let π:X→Y be a factor map, where (X,σX) and (Y,σY) are subshifts over finite alphabets. Assume that X satisfies weak specification. Let a=(a₁,a₂)∈R² with a₁>0 and a₂?0. Let f be a continuous function on X with sufficient regularity (Hölder continuity, for instance). We show that there is a unique shift invariant measure μ on X that maximizes . In particular, taking f≡0 we see that there is a unique invariant measure μ on X that maximizes the weighted entropy a₁hμ(σX)+a₂hμ°π−1(σY), which answers an open question raised by Gatzouras and Peres (1996) in [15]. An extension is given to high dimensional cases. As an application, we show that for each compact invariant set K on the k-torus under a diagonal endomorphism, if the symbolic coding of K satisfies weak specification, then there is a unique invariant measure μ supported on K so that dimHμ=dimHK.     

Decay of correlations for piecewise invertible maps in higher dimensions

We study the mixing properties of equilibrium statesμ of non-Markov piecewise invertible mapsT:X→X, especially in the multidimensional case. Assuming mainly Hölder continuity and that the topological pressure of the boundary is smaller than the total topological pressure, we establish exponential decay of correlations, i.e., $\left| {\int_x {\varphi \cdot \psi oT^n d\mu - \int_x {\varphi d\mu \cdot \int_x {\psi d\mu } } } } \right| \leqslant C \cdot e^{ - an} $ for all Hölder functions?,ψ :X→?, alln≥0 and someC<∞, α>0. We also obtain a Central Limit Theorem. Weakening the smoothness assumption, we get subexponential rates of decay.     

Equilibrium states,pressure and escape for multimodal maps with holes

For a class of non-uniformly hyperbolic interval maps, we study rates of escape with respect to conformal measures associated with a family of geometric potentials. We establish the existence of physically relevant conditionally invariant measures and equilibrium states and prove a relation between the rate of escape and pressure with respect to these potentials. As a consequence, we obtain a Bowen formula: we express the Hausdorff dimension of the set of points which never exit through the hole in terms of the relevant pressure function. Finally, we obtain an expression for the derivative of the escape rate in the zero-hole limit.     

Decay of correlations for maps with uniformly contracting fibers and logarithm law for singular hyperbolic attractors

We consider maps preserving a foliation which is uniformly contracting and a one-dimensional associated quotient map having exponential convergence to equilibrium (iterates of Lebesgue measure converge exponentially fast to physical measure). We prove that these maps have exponential decay of correlations over a large class of observables. We use this result to deduce exponential decay of correlations for suitable Poincaré maps of a large class of singular hyperbolic flows. From this we deduce a logarithm law for these flows.     

Large deviations bound for semiflows over a non-uniformly expanding base

We obtain a exponential large deviation upper bound for continuous observables on suspension semiflows over a non-uniformly expanding base transformation with non-flat singularities or criticalities, where the roof function defining the suspension behaves like the logarithm of the distance to the singular/critical set of the base map. That is, given a continuous function we consider its space average with respect to a physical measure and compare this with the time averages along orbits of the semiflow, showing that the Lebesgue measure of the set of points whose time averages stay away from the space average tends to zero exponentially fast as time goes to infinity. The arguments need the base transformation to exhibit exponential slow recurrence to the singular set which, in all known examples, implies exponential decay of correlations. Suspension semiflows model the dynamics of flows admitting cross-sections, where the dynamics of the base is given by the Poincaré return map and the roof function is the return time to the cross-section. The results are applicable in particular to semiflows modeling the geometric Lorenz attractors and the Lorenz flow, as well as other semiflows with multidimensional non-uniformly expanding base with non-flat singularities and/or criticalities under slow recurrence rate conditions to this singular/critical set. We are also able to obtain exponentially fast escape rates from subsets without full measure. *The author was partially supported by CNPq-Brazil and FCT-Portugal through CMUP and POCI/MAT/61237/2004.     

Zeta-functions for expanding maps and Anosov flows

Given a real-analytic expanding endomorphism of a compact manifoldM, a meromorphic zeta function is defined on the complex-valued real-analytic functions onM. A zeta function for Anosov flows is shown to be meromorphic if the flow and its stable-unstable foliations are real-analytic.     

Iterates of expanding maps

The iterates of expanding maps of the unit interval into itself have many of the properties of a more conventional stochastic process, when the expanding map satisfies some regularity conditions and when the starting point is suitably chosen at random. In this paper, we show that the sequence of iterates can be closely tied to an m-dependent process. This enables us to prove good bounds on the accuracy of Gaussian approximations. Our main tools are coupling and Stein's method. Received: 27 June 1997 / Revised version: 21 September 1998     

Invariant measures for real analytic expanding maps

Let X be a compact connected subset of ^d with non-empty interior,and T:X X a real analytic full branch expanding map with countablymany branches. Elements of a thermodynamic formalism for suchsystems are developed, including criteria for compactness oftransfer operators acting on spaces of bounded holomorphic functions.In particular, a new sufficient condition for the existenceof a T-invariant probability measure equivalent to Lebesguemeasure is obtained.     

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.     

Regularity of coboundaries for nonuniformly expanding Markov maps

We prove that solutions of the equation are automatically Hölder continuous when is Hölder continuous and is nonuniformly expanding and Markov. This result applies in particular to Young towers and to intermittent maps.