Given a group G, the conjugacy problem in G is the problem of giving an effective procedure for determining whether or not two given elements f, g of G are conjugate, i.e. whether there exists h belonging to G with fh = hg. This paper is about the conjugacy problem in the group Diffeo(I) of all diffeomorphisms of an interval I in R. There is much classical work on the subject, solving the conjugacy problem for special classes of maps. Unfortunately, it is also true that many results and arguments known to the experts are difficult to find in the literature, or simply absent. We try to repair these lacunae, by giving a systematic review, and we also include new results about the conjugacy classification in the general case.
Let $\Diffeo=\Diffeo(\R)$ denote the group of infinitely-differentiable diffeomorphisms of the real line $\R$, under the operation of composition, and let $\Diffeo^+$ be the subgroup of diffeomorphisms of degree +1, i.e. orientation-preserving diffeomorphisms. We show how to reduce the problem of determining whether or not two given elements $f,g\in \Diffeo$ are conjugate in $\Diffeo$ to associated conjugacy problems in the subgroup $\Diffeo^+$. The main result concerns the case when $f$ and $g$ have degree -1, and specifies (in an explicit and verifiable way) precisely what must be added to t…
In this paper we prove the $C^1$-density of every $C^r$-conjugacy class in the closed subset of diffeomorphisms of the circle with a given irrational rotation number.
Classical results by Poincaré and Denjoy show that two orientation-preserving $C^2$ diffeomorphisms of the circle are topologically conjugate if and only if they have the same rotation number. We show that there is no possibility of getting such a complete numerical Borel invariant for the conjugacy relation of orientation-preserving circle diffeomorphisms by homeomorphisms with higher degree of regularity. For instance, we consider conjugacy by Hölder homeomorphisms or by $C^k$-diffeomorphisms with $k\in \mathbb{Z}^+ \cup \{\infty\}$. The proof combines techniques from Descriptive Set Theory …
We consider two C^2 Anosov diffeomorphisms in a C^1 neighborhood of a linear hyperbolic automorphism of three dimensional torus with real spectrum. We prove that they are C^1+ conjugate if and only if the differentials of the return maps at corresponding periodic points have the same eigenvalues.
The classical criterion for a circle diffeomorphism to be topologically conjugate to an irrational rigid rotation was given by A. Denjoy. In 1985, one of us (Sullivan) gave a new criterion. There is an example satisfying Denjoy's bounded variation condition rather than Sullivan's Zygmund condition and vice versa. This paper will give the third criterion which is implied by either of the above criteria.
We study groups of circle diffeomorphisms whose action on the cylinder $\mathcal C=\mathbb S^1\times \mathbb S^1\setminus Δ$ preserves a volume form. We first show that such a group is topologically conjugate to a subgroup of $\rm{PSL}(2,\mathbb R)$, then discuss the existence of a differentiable conjugacy.
A diffeomorphism $f:\mathbb{R}^2\to\mathbb{R}^2$ in the plane is Anosov if it has a hyperbolic splitting at every point of the plane. The two known topological conjugacy classes of such diffeomorphisms are linear hyperbolic automorphisms and translations (the existence of Anosov structures for plane translations was originally shown by W. White). P. Mendes conjectured that these are the only topological conjugacy classes for Anosov diffeomorphisms in the plane. We prove that this claim holds when the Anosov diffeomorphism is the time-one map of a flow, via a theorem about foliations invariant …
In this paper we consider the conjugacy classes of diffeomorphisms of the interval, endowed with the $C^1$-topology. We present several results in the spirit of the one below : Given two diffeomorphisms $f,g$ of the interval $[0;1]$ without hyperbolic fixed point, we give a complete answer to the two following questions: - under what conditions does there exist a sequence of smooth conjugates $h_n f h_n^{-1}$ of $f$ tending to $g$ in the $C^1$-topology ? - under what conditions does there exist a continuous path of $C^1$-diffeomorphisms $h_t$ such that $h_t f h_t^{-1}$ tends to $g$ in the $C^1…
Given closed topological $n$-manifold $M^n$, $n\geq 2$, one introduces the classes of Smale regular $SRH(M^n)$ and Smale semi-regular $SsRH(M^n)$ homeomorphisms of $M^n$ with $SRH(M^n)\subset~SsRH(M^n)$. The class $SRH(M^n)$ contains all Morse-Smale diffeomorphisms, while $SsRH(M^n)$ contains A-diffeomorphisms with trivial and some nontrivial basic sets provided $M^n$ admits a smooth structure. We select invariant sets that determine dynamics of Smale homeomorphisms. This allows us to get necessary and sufficient conditions of conjugacy for $SRH(M^n)$ and $SsRH(M^n)$. We deduce applications fo…
The formal class of a germ of diffeomorphism $ϕ$ is embeddable in a flow if $ϕ$ is formally conjugated to the exponential of a germ of vector field. We prove that there are complex analytic unipotent germs of diffeomorphisms at $({\mathbb C}^{n},0)$ ($n>1$) whose formal class is non-embeddable. The examples are inside a family in which the non-embeddability is of geometrical type. The proof relies on the properties of some linear functional operators that we obtain through the study of polynomial families of diffeomorphisms via potential theory.
Let $L$ be a hyperbolic automorphism of $\mathbb T^d$, $d\ge3$. We study the smooth conjugacy problem in a small $C^1$-neighborhood $\mathcal U$ of $L$. The main result establishes $C^{1+ν}$ regularity of the conjugacy between two Anosov systems with the same periodic eigenvalue data. We assume that these systems are $C^1$-close to an irreducible linear hyperbolic automorphism $L$ with simple real spectrum and that they satisfy a natural transitivity assumption on certain intermediate foliations. We elaborate on the example of de la Llave of two Anosov systems on $\mathbb T^4$ with the same co…
In this paper we consider the space of smooth conjugacy classes of an Anosov diffeomorphism of the two-torus. The only 2-manifold that supports an Anosov diffeomorphism is the 2-torus, and Franks and Manning showed that every such diffeomorphism is topologically conjugate to a linear example, and furthermore, the eigenvalues at periodic points are a complete smooth invariant. The question arises: what sets of eigenvalues occur as the Anosov diffeomorphism ranges over a topological conjugacy class? This question can be reformulated: what pairs of cohomology classes (one determined by the expand…
In this paper, we study conjugacy invariants for 2-dimensional diffeomorphisms with homoclinic cubic tangencies (two-sided tangencies of the lowest order) under certain open conditions. Ordinary arguments used in past studies of conjugacy invariants associated with one-sided tangencies do not work in the two-sided case. We present a new method which is applicable to the two-sided case.
In a non-compact setting, the notion of hyperbolicity, and the associated structure of stable and unstable manifolds (for unbounded orbits), is highly dependent on the choice of metric used to define it. We consider the simplest version of this, the analogue for the plane of Anosov diffeomorphisms, studied earlier by W. White and P. Mendes. The two known topological conjugacy classes of such diffeomorphisms are linear hyperbolic automorphisms and translations. We show that if the structure of stable and unstable manifolds is required to be preserved by these conjugacies, the number of distinct…
For groups of diffeomorphisms of $\T^2$ containing an Anosov diffeomorphism, we give a complete classification for polycyclic Abelian-by-Cyclic group actions on $\T^2$ up to both topological conjugacy and smooth conjugacy under mild assumptions. Along the way, we also prove a Tits alternative type theorem for some groups of diffeomorphisms of $\T^2$.
Lens spaces are the only 3-manifolds that admit gradient-like flows with four fixed points. This is an immediate corollary of Morse inequality and of the Morse function with four critical points existence. A similar question for gradient-like diffeomorphisms is open. Solution can be approached by describing a complete topological conjugacy invariant of the class of considered diffeomorphisms and constructing of representative diffeomorphism for every conjugacy class by the abstract invariant. Ch. Bonnati and V. Z. Grines proved that the topological conjugacy class of Morse-Smale flows with uni…
We study perturbations of a partially hyperbolic toral automorphism L which is diagonalizable over C and has a dense center foliation. For a small perturbation of L with a smooth center foliation we establish existence of a smooth leaf conjugacy to L. We also show that if a small perturbation of an ergodic irreducible L has smooth center foliation and is bi-Holder conjugate to L, then the conjugacy is smooth. As a corollary, we show that for any symplectic perturbation of such an L any bi-Holder conjugacy must be smooth. For a totally irreducible L with two-dimensional center, we establish a n…
We consider group-valued cocycles over a partially hyperbolic diffeomorphism which is accessible volume-preserving and center bunched. We study cocycles with values in the group of invertible continuous linear operators on a Banach space. We describe properties of holonomies for fiber bunched cocycles and establish their Holder regularity. We also study cohomology of cocycles and its connection with holonomies. We obtain a result on regularity of a measurable conjugacy, as well as a necessary and sufficient condition for existence of a contionuous conjugacy between two cocycles.
We analyze a class of deformations of Anosov diffeomorphisms: these $C^0$-small, but $C^1$-macroscopic deformations break the topological conjugacy class but leave the high entropy dynamics unchanged. More precisely, there is a partial conjugacy between the deformation and the original Anosov system that identifies all invariant probability measures with entropy close to the maximum. We also establish expansiveness around those measures. This class of deformations contains many of the known nonhyperbolic robustly transitive diffeomorphisms. In particular, we show that it includes a class of no…
We prove a result motivated by Williams's classification of expanding attractors and the Franks-Newhouse Theorem on codimension-1 Anosov diffeomorphisms: If a mixing hyperbolic attractor has 1-dimensional unstable manifolds then it is either is expanding or is homeomorphic to a compact abelian group (a toral solenoid); in the latter case the dynamics is conjugate to a group automorphism. As a corollary we obtain a classification of all 2-dimensional basic sets in 3-manifolds. Furthermore we classify all hyperbolic attractors in 3-manifolds in terms of the classically studied examples, answerin…
We consider a space $\mathcal{U}$ of 3-dimensional diffeomorphisms $f$ with hyperbolic fixed points $p$ the stable and unstable manifolds of which have quadratic tangencies and satisfying some open conditions and such that $Df(p)$ has non-real expanding eigenvalues and a real contracting eigenvalue. The aim of this paper is to study moduli of diffeomorphisms in $\mathcal{U}$. We show that, for a generic element $f$ of $\mathcal{U}$, all the eigenvalues of $Df(p)$ are moduli and the restriction of a conjugacy homeomorphism to a local unstable manifold is a uniquely determined linear conformal m…
We study a simple problem that arises from the study of Lorentz surfaces and Anosov flows. For a non decreasing map of degree one $h:\mathbb{S}^1\to \mathbb{S}^1$, we are interested in groups of circle diffeomorphisms that act on the complement of the graph of $h$ in $\mathbb{S}^1\times \mathbb{S}^1$ by preserving a volume form. We show that such groups are semi conjugate to subgroups of $\mathrm{PSL}(2,\mathbb{R})$, and that when $h\in \mathrm{Homeo}(\mathbb{S}^1)$, we have a topological conjugacy. We also construct examples, where $h$ is not continuous, for which there is no such conjugacy.
In this paper we use the theory of barcodes as a new tool for studying dynamics of area-preserving homeomorphisms. We will show that the barcode of a Hamiltonian diffeomorphism of a surface depends continuously on the diffeomorphism, and furthermore define barcodes for Hamiltonian homeomorphisms. Our main dynamical application concerns the notion of {\it weak conjugacy}, an equivalence relation which arises naturally in connection to $C^0$ continuous conjugacy invariants of Hamiltonian homeomorphisms. We show that for a large class of Hamiltonian homeomorphisms with a finite number of fixed po…
We survey, and extend, results on the adjoint action of the homeomorphism group $H(X)$ on the space of surjective continuous maps, $C_s(X)$, where $X$ is a Cantor set. We look also at the restriction of the action to various dynamically defined subsets of $C_s(X)$, e. g. the sets of topologically transitive maps, chain transitive maps, chain mixing maps, etc. In each case, we consider whether there exist elements with a dense conjugacy class and if so, what the generic elements look like.
We consider Abelian-by-cyclic groups for which the cyclic factor acts by hyperbolic automorphisms on the Abelian subgroup. We show that if such a group acts faithfully by $C^1$ diffeomorphisms of the closed interval with no global fixed point at the interior, then the action is topologically conjugated to that of an affine group. Moreover, in case of non-Abelian image, we show a rigidity result concerning the multipliers of the homotheties, despite the fact that the conjugacy is not necessarily smooth. Some consequences for non-solvable groups are proposed. In particular, we give new proofs/ex…
Let $M$ be a compact one--manifold, and let $\mathrm{Diff}^{1+\mathrm{bv}}(M)$ denote the group of $C^1$ orientation preserving diffeomorphisms of $M$ whose first derivatives have bounded variation. We prove that if $G$ is a group which is not virtually metabelian, then $(G\times\mathbb{Z})*\mathbb{Z}$ is not realized as a subgroup of $\mathrm{Diff}^{1+\mathrm{bv}}(M)$. This gives the first examples of finitely generated groups $G,H\le \mathrm{Diff}_+^\infty(M)$ such that $G\ast H$ does not embed into $\mathrm{Diff}^{1+\mathrm{bv}}(M)$. By contrast, for all countable groups $G,H\le\mathrm{Home…
In this short Survey we revisit the subject of local, identity-tangent diffeomorphisms of $\doC$ and their analytic invariants, under two viewpoints: that of explicit expansions, which necessarily involve multitangents and multizetas; and that of effective computation. Along the way, we stress the difference between the \textup{collectors} (pre-invariant but of one piece) and the \textup{connectors} (invariant but mutually unrelated). We also attempt to streamline the nomenclature and notations.
In this paper we discuss the relationship between groups of diffeomorphisms of spheres and balls. We survey results of a topological nature and then address the relationship as abstract (discrete) groups. We prove that the identity component Diff_0(S^{2n-1}) of the group of smooth diffeomorphisms of S^{2n+1} admits no nontrivial homomorphisms to the group of C^1 diffeomorphisms of the ball B^m for any n and m. This result generalizes theorems of Ghys and Herman. We also examine finitely generated subgroups of Diff_0(S^n) and produce an example of a finitely generated torsion free group Gamma w…
We survey the role of right-angled Artin groups in the theory of diffeomorphism groups of low dimensional manifolds. We first describe some of the subgroup structure of right-angled Artin groups. We then discuss the interplay between algebraic structure, compactness, and regularity for group actions on one--dimensional manifolds. For compact one--manifolds, every right-angled Artin group acts faithfully by $C^1$ diffeomorphisms, but the right-angled Artin groups which act faithfully by $C^2$ diffeomorphisms are very restricted. For the real line, every right-angled Artin group acts faithfully …
This paper surveys recent results on classifying partially hyperbolic diffeomorphisms. This includes the construction of branching foliations and leaf conjugacies on three-dimensional manifolds with solvable fundamental group. Classification results in higher-dimensional settings are also discussed. The paper concludes with an overview of the construction of new partially hyperbolic examples derived from Anosov flows.
