Since the seminal work of Sinai one studies chaotic properties of planar billiards tables. Among them is the study of decay of correlations for these tables. There are examples in the literature of tables with exponential and even polynomial decay. However, until now nothing is known about mixing properties for billiard tables with non-compact cusps. There is no consensual definition of mixing for systems with infinite invariant measure. In this paper we study geometric and ergodic properties of billiard tables with a non-compact cusp. The goal of this text is, using the definition of mixing proposed by Krengel and Sucheston for systems with invariant infinite measure, to show that the billiard whose table is constituted by the x-axis and and the portion in the plane below the graph of $f(x)=\frac{1}{x+1}$ is mixing and the speed of mixing is polynomial.
In this paper we study the singularity manifolds of multidimensional strictly dispersing billiards and show that the proof of the Fundamental theorem for dispersing billiards remain valid for a dense set of finitely smooth scatterers.
We consider dispersing billiard tables whose boundary is piecewise smooth and the free flight function is unbounded. We also assume there are no cusps. Such billiard tables are called type D in the monograph of Chernov and Markarian. For a class of non-degenerate type D dispersing billiards, we prove exponential decay of correlation and several other statistical properties.
It is known that the dynamics of planar billiards satisfies strong mixing properties (e.g. exponential decay of correlations) provided that some expansion condition on unstable curves is satisfied. This condition has been shown to always hold for smooth dispersing planar billiards, but it needed to be assumed separately in the case of dispersing planar billiards with corner points. We prove that this expansion condition holds for any dispersing planar billiard with corner points, no cusps and bounded horizon.
Local finiteness of the number of reflections in semi-dispersing Minkowski billiards
St. Petersburg Department of V. A. Steklov Mathematical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences（俄罗斯科学院V.A.斯捷克洛夫数学研究所圣彼得堡分部）；St. Petersburg State University（圣彼得堡国立大学）
We prove exponential correlation decay in dispersing billiard flows on the 2-torus assuming finite horizon and lack of corner points. With applications aimed at describing heat conduction, the highly singular initial measures are concentrated here on 1-dimensional submanifolds (given by standard pairs) and the observables are supposed to satisfy a generalized Hölder continuity property. The result is based on the exponential correlation decay bound of Baladi, Demers and Liverani obtained recentlyfor Hölder continuous observables in these billiards. The model dependence of the bounds is also di…
Dynamical billiards, or the behavior of a particle traveling in a planar region $D$ undergoing elastic collisions with the boundary, has been extensively studied and is used to model many physical phenomena such as a Boltzmann gas. Of particular interest are the dispersing billiards, where $D$ consists of a union of finitely many open convex regions. These billiard flows are known to be ergodic and to possess the $K$-property. However, Turaev and Rom-Kedar (1998) proved that for dispersing systems permitting singular periodic orbits, there exists a family of smooth Hamiltonian flows with regio…
We consider the class of dispersing billiard systems in the plane formed by removing three convex analytic scatterers satisfying the non-eclipse condition. The collision map in this system is conjugated to a subshift, providing a natural labeling of periodic points. We study the problem of marked length spectrum rigidity for this class of systems. We show that two such systems have the same marked length spectrum if and only if their collision maps are analytically conjugate to each other near a homoclinic orbit and that two scatterers and the marked length spectrum together uniquely determine…
This work results from our attempts to solve Boltzmann-Sinai's hypothesis about the ergodicity of hard ball gases. A crucial element in the studies of the dynamics of hard balls is the analysis of special hypersurfaces in the phase space consisting of degenerate trajectories (which lack complete hyperbolicity). We prove that if a flow-invariant hypersurface $J$ in the phase space of a semi-dispersing billiard has a negative Lyapunov function, then the volume of the forward image of $J$ grows at least linearly in time. Our proof is independent of the solution of the Boltzmann-Sinai hypothesis, …
We consider billiards obtained by removing three strictly convex obstacles satisfying the non-eclipse condition on the plane. The restriction of the dynamics to the set of non-escaping orbits is conjugated to a subshift on three symbols that provides a natural labeling of all periodic orbits. We study the following inverse problem: does the Marked Length Spectrum (i.e., the set of lengths of periodic orbits together with their labeling), determine the geometry of the billiard table? We show that from the Marked Length Spectrum it is possible to recover the curvature at periodic points of perio…
Given an integer $k \geq 5$, and a $C^k$ Anosov flow $Φ$ on some compact connected $3$-manifold preserving a smooth volume, we show that the measure of maximal entropy (MME) is the volume measure if and only if $Φ$ is $C^{k-\varepsilon}$-conjugate to an algebraic flow, for $\varepsilon>0$ arbitrarily small. Besides the rigidity, we also study the entropy flexibility, and show that the metric entropy with respect to the volume measure and the topological entropy of suspension flows over Anosov diffeomorphisms on the $2$-torus achieve all possible values subject to natural normalizations. Moreov…
In this paper we constructed a special family of semidispersing billiards bounded on a rectangle with a few dispersing scatters. We assume there exists a pair of flat points (with zero curvature) on the boundary of these scatters, whose tangent lines form a channel in the billiard table that is perpendicular to the vertical sides of the rectangle. The billiard can be induced to a Lorenz gas with infinite horizon when replacing the rectangle by a torus. We study the mixing rates of the one-parameter family of the semi-dispersing billiards and the Lorenz gas on a torus; and show that the correla…
Following recent work of Chernov, Markarian, and Zhang, it is known that the billiard map for dispersing billiards with zero angle cusps has slow decay of correlations with rate 1/n. Since the collisions inside a cusp occur in quick succession, it is reasonable to expect a much faster decay rate in continuous time. In this paper we prove that the flow is rapid mixing: correlations decay faster than any polynomial rate. A consequence is that the flow admits strong statistical properties such as the almost sure invariance principle, even though the billiard map does not. The techniques in this p…
Let $f: [0, +\infty) \to (0, +\infty)$ be a sufficiently smooth convex function, vanishing at infinity. Consider the planar domain $Q$ delimited by the positive $x$-semiaxis, the positive $y$-semiaxis, and the graph of $f$. Under certain conditions on $f$, we prove that the billiard flow in $Q$ has a hyperbolic structure and, for some examples, that it is also ergodic. This is done using the cross section corresponding to collisions with the dispersing part of the boundary. The relevant invariant measure for this Poincaré section is infinite, whence the need to surpass the existing results, de…
In this short note we consider the finite-dimensional distributions of sets of states generated by dispersing billiards with a random initial condition. We establish a functional correlation bound on the distance between the finite-dimensional distributions and corresponding product distributions. We demonstrate the usefulness of the bound by showing that it implies several limit theorems. The purpose of this note is to provide a tool facilitating the study of more general functionals of the billiard process.
We propose a model of Sinai billiards with moving scatterers, in which the locations and shapes of the scatterers may change by small amounts between collisions. Our main result is the exponential loss of memory of initial data at uniform rates, and our proof consists of a coupling argument for non-stationary compositions of maps similar to classical billiard maps. This can be seen as a prototypical result on the statistical properties of time-dependent dynamical systems.
The Local Ergodic Theorem (also known as the `Fundamental Theorem') gives sufficient conditions under which a phase point has an open neighborhood that belongs (mod 0) to one ergodic component. This theorem is a key ingredient of many proofs of ergodicity for billiards and, more generally, for smooth hyperbolic maps with singularities. However the proof of that theorem relies upon a delicate assumption (Chernov-Sinai Ansatz), which is difficult to check for some physically relevant models, including gases of hard balls. Here we give a proof of the Local Ergodic Theorem for two dimensional bill…
We consider a class of planar dispersing billiards with a cusp at a point of vanishing curvature. Convergence to a stable law and to the corresponding Lévy process in the $\cM_1$ and $\cM_2$ Skorohod topologies has been studied in recent work. Here we show that certain sufficient conditions for $\cM_2$-convergence are also necessary.
Gouezel and Sarig introduced operator renewal theory as a method to prove sharp results on polynomial decay of correlations for certain classes of nonuniformly expanding maps. In this paper, we apply the method to planar dispersing billiards and multidimensional nonMarkovian intermittent maps.
For any finite horizon Sinai billiard map T on the two-torus, we find t_*>1 such that for each t in (0,t_*) there exists a unique equilibrium state $μ_t$ for $- t\log J^uT$, and $μ_t$ is T-adapted. (In particular, the SRB measure is the unique equilibrium state for $- \log J^uT$.) We show that $μ_t$ is exponentially mixing for Holder observables, and the pressure function $P(t)=\sup_μ\{h_μ-\int t\log J^uT d μ\}$ is analytic on (0,t_*). In addition, P(t) is strictly convex if and only if $\log J^uT$ is not $μ_t$ a.e. cohomologous to a constant, while, if there exist $t_a\ne t_b$ with $μ_{t_a}= …
In a previous paper (nlin.CD/0107041) the following class of billiards was studied: For $f: [0, +\infty) \longrightarrow (0, +\infty)$ convex, sufficiently smooth, and vanishing at infinity, let the billiard table be defined by $Q$, the planar domain delimited by the positive $x$-semiaxis, the positive $y$-semiaxis, and the graph of $f$. For a large class of $f$ we proved that the billiard map was hyperbolic. Furthermore we gave an example of a family of $f$ that makes this map ergodic. Here we extend the latter result to a much wider class of functions.
In this paper we continue to study billiards with flat points, by constructing a spec family of dispersing billiards with cusps. All boundaries of the table have positive curvature except that the curvature vanishes at the vertex of a cusp, i.e. there is a pair of boundaries intersection at the flat point tangentially. We study the mixing rates of this one-parameter family of billiards with parameter $β\in (2,\infty)$, and show that the correlation functions of the collision map decay polynomially with order $\cO(n^{-\frac{1}{β-1}})$ as $n\to\infty$. In particular, this solves an open question…
We prove convergence to a Levy process for a class of dispersing billiards with cusps. For such examples, convergence to a stable law was proved by Jung & Zhang. For the corresponding functional limit law, convergence is not possible in the usual Skorohod J_1 topology. Our main results yield elementary geometric conditions for convergence (i) in M_1, (ii) in M_2 but not M_1. In general, we show for a large class of nonuniformly hyperbolic systems how to deduce functional limit laws once convergence to the corresponding stable law is known.
We consider billiards with a single cusp where the walls meeting at the vertex of the cusp have zero one-sided curvature, thus forming a flat point at the vertex. For Hölder continuous observables, we show that properly normalized Birkoff sums, with respect to the billiard map, converge in law to a totally skewed $α$-stable law.
A point source of light is placed inside an oval. The $n$-th caustic by reflection is the envelope of the light rays emanating from the light source after $n$ reflections off the curve. We show that each of these caustics, for a generic point light source, has at least 4 cusps. This is a billiard variation on Jacobi's Last Geometric Statement, concerning the number of cusps of the conjugate locus of a point on a convex surface. We present various proofs, using different ideas, including the curve shortening flow and Legendrian knot theory.
We describe a one-parameter family of dispersing (hence hyperbolic, ergodic and mixing) billiards where the correlation function of the collision map decays as $1/n^a$ (here $n$ denotes the discrete time), in which the degree $a \in (1, \infty)$ changes continuously with the parameter of the family, $β$. We also derive an explicit relation between the degree $a$ and the family parameter $β$.
We show that polynomial decay of correlations is prevalent for a class of nonuniformly hyperbolic flows. These flows are the continuous time analogue of a class of nonuniformly hyperbolic diffeomorphisms for which Young proved polynomial decay of correlations. Roughly speaking, in situations where the decay rate $O(1/n^β)$ has previously been proved for diffeomorphisms, we establish the decay rate $O(1/t^β)$ for typical flows. Applications include certain classes of semidispersing billiards, as well as dispersing billiards with vanishing curvature. In addition, we obtain results for suspension…
We consider billiards with several possibly non-isometric and asymmetric cusps at flat points; the case of a single symmetric cusp was studied previously in Zhang (2017) and Jung & Zhang (2018). In particular, we show that properly normalized Birkhoff sums of Hölder observables, with respect to the billiard map, converge in Skorokhod's $M_1$-topology to an $α$-stable Lévy motion, where $α$ depends on the `curvature' of the flattest points and the skewness parameter $ξ$ depends on the values of the observable at those same points. Previously, Jung & Zhang (2018) proved convergence of the one-po…
By a transfer operator approach to Maass cusp forms and the Selberg zeta function for cofinite Hecke triangle groups, M. Möller and the author found a factorization of the Selberg zeta function into a product of Fredholm determinants of transfer-operator-like families: $Z(s) = \det(1-\mc L_s^+)\det(1-\mc L_s^-)$. In this article we show that the operator families $\mc L_s^\pm$ arise as families of transfer operators for the triangle groups underlying the Hecke triangle groups, and that for $s\in\C$, $\Rea s=\tfrac12$, the operator $\mc L_s^+$ (resp. $\mc L_s^-$) has a 1-eigenfunction if and on…
In this article, we study the decay rates of the correlation functions for a hyperbolic system $T: M \to M$ with singularities that preserves a unique mixing SRB measure $μ$. We prove that, under some general assumptions, the correlations $ C_{n}(f,g)$ decay exponentially as $n\to \infty$ for each pair of piecewise Hölder observables $f, g\in L^p(μ)$ and for each $p>1$. As an application, we prove that the autocorrelations of the first return time functions decay exponentially for the induced maps of various billiard systems, which include the semi-dispersing billiards on a rectangle, billiard…
We investigate the decay rates of correlations for nonuniformly hyperbolic systems with or without singularities, on piecewise Hölder observables. By constructing a new scheme of coupling methods using the probability renewal theory, we obtain the optimal bounds for decay rates of correlations for a large class of such observables. We also establish the alpha-mixing property for time series generated by these systems, which leads to a vast ranges of limiting theorems. Our results apply to rather general hyperbolic systems with singularities, including Bunimovich flower billiards, semidispersin…
Stable laws for heavy-tailed observables on polynomially mixing billiards
University of Warwick（华威大学）；Mathematics Research Centre, University of Warwick（华威大学数学研究中心）；Institute of Mathematics of the Romanian Academy（罗马尼亚科学院数学研究所）
We consider the billiard dynamics in a non-compact set of R^d that is constructed as a bi-infinite chain of translated copies of the same d-dimensional polytope. A random configuration of semi-dispersing scatterers is placed in each copy. The ensemble of dynamical systems thus defined, one for each global realization of the scatterers, is called `quenched random Lorentz tube'. Under some fairly general conditions, we prove that every system in the ensemble is hyperbolic and almost every system is recurrent, ergodic, and enjoys some higher chaotic properties.
