In the early 1980's Thurston gave a topological characterization of rational maps whose critical points have finite iterated orbits (\cite{Th,DH1}): given a topological branched covering $F$ of the two sphere with finite critical orbits, if $F$ has no Thurston obstructions then $F$ possesses an invariant complex structure (up to isotopy), and is combinatorially equivalent to a rational map.
We extend this theory to the setting of rational maps with infinite critical orbits, assuming a certain kind of hyperbolicity. Our study includes also holomorphic dynamical systems that arise as coverings over disconnected Riemann surfaces of finite type. The obstructions we encounter are similar to those of Thurston. We give concrete criteria for verifying whether or not such obstructions exist.
Among many possible applications, these results can be used for example to construct holomorphic maps with prescribed dynamical properties; or to give a parameter description, both local and global, of bifurcations of complex dynamical systems.
We prove that the canonical Thurston obstruction for a sub-hyperbolic semi-rational branched covering exists if the branched covering is not CLH-equivalent to a rational map.
In 1980's, Thurston established a combinatorial characterization for post-critically finite rational maps. This criterion was then extended by Cui, Jiang, and Sullivan to sub-hyperbolic rational maps. The goal of this paper is to present a new but simpler proof of this result by adapting the argument in the proof of Thurston's Theorem.
Recently Merenkov and Sabitova introduced the notion of a homogeneous planar set. Using this notion they proved a result for Sierpi${ń}$ski carpet Julia sets of hyperbolic rational maps that relates the diameters of the peripheral circles to the Hausdorff dimension of the Julia set. We extend this theorem to Julia sets (not necessarily Sierpi${ń}$ski carpets) of semi-hyperbolic rational maps, and prove a stronger version of the theorem that was conjectured by Merenkov and Sabitova.
We consider fiber-preserving complex dynamics on fiber bundles whose fibers are Riemann spheres and whose base spaces are compact metric spaces. In this context, without any assumption on (semi-)hyperbolicity, we show that the fiberwise Julia sets are uniformly perfect. From this result, we show that, for any semigroup $G$ generated by a compact family of rational maps on the Riemann sphere of degree two or greater, the Julia set of any subsemigroup of $G$ is uniformly perfect. We define the semi-hyperbolicity of dynamics on fiber bundles and show that, if the dynamics on a fiber bundle is sem…
Let $Λ$ be a quasi-projective variety and assume that, either $Λ$ is a subvariety of the moduli space $\mathcal{M}_d$ of degree $d$ rational maps, or $Λ$ parametrizes an algebraic family $(f_λ)_{λ\inΛ}$ of degree $d$ rational maps on $\mathbb{P}^1$. We prove the equidistribution of parameters having $p$ distinct neutral cycles towards the $p$-th bifurcation current letting the periods of the cycles go to $\infty$, with an exponential speed of convergence. We deduce several fundamental consequences of this result on equidistribution and counting of hyperbolic components. A key step of the proof…
Given a sub-hyperbolic semi-rational branched covering which is not CLH-equivalent a rational map, it must have the non-empty canonical Thurston obstruction. By using this canonical Thurston obstruction, we decompose this dynamical system in this paper into several sub-dynamical systems. Each of these sub-dynamical systems is either a post-critically finite type branched covering or a sub-hyperbolic semi-rational type branched covering. If a sub-dynamical system is a post-critically finite type branched covering with a hyperbolic orbifold, then it has no Thurston obstruction and is combinatori…
The purpose of this paper is to establish a topological characterization of all the hyperbolic maps in the Sine family $\{λ\sin(z) \:\big{|}\:λ\ne 0\}$ which have super-attracting cycles.
We prove that the hyperbolic components of bicritical rational maps having two distinct attracting cycles each of period at least two are bounded in the moduli space of bicritical rational maps. Our arguments rely on arithmetic methods.
Let f be a dominant rational map of P^k such that there exists s <k, with lambda_s(f)>lambda_l(f) for all l. Under mild hypotheses, we show that, for A outside a pluripolar set of the group of automorphisms of P^k, the map f o A admits a hyperbolic measure of maximal entropy log(lambda_s(f)) with explicit bounds on the Lyapunov exponents. In particular, the result is true for polynomial maps hence for the homogeneous extension of f to P^{k+1}. This provides many examples where non uniform hyperbolic dynamics is established. One of the key tools is to approximate the graph of a meromorphic func…
Let ${\cal H}$ be a hyperbolic component of quadratic rational maps possessing two distinct attracting cycles. We show that ${\cal H}$ has compact closure in moduli space if and only if neither attractor is a fixed point.
In this article, we study the hyperbolic components of McMullen maps. We show that the boundaries of all hyperbolic components are Jordan curves. This settles a problem posed by Devaney. As a consequence, we show that cusps are dense on the boundary of the unbounded hyperbolic component. This is a dynamical analogue of McMullen's theorem that cusps are dense on the Bers' boundary of Teichmüller space.
This paper describes new results on the growth and zeros of the Ruelle zeta function for the Julia set of a hyperbolic rational map. It is shown that the zeta function is bounded by $\exp(C_K |s|^δ)$ in strips $|\Re s| \leq K$, where $δ$ is the dimension of the Julia set. This leads to bounds on the number of zeros in strips (interpreted as the Pollicott-Ruelle resonances of this dynamical system). An upper bound on the number of zeros in polynomial regions $\{|\Re s | \leq |\Im s|^α\}$ is given, followed by weaker lower bound estimates in strips $\{\Re s > -C, |\Im s|\leq r\}$, and logarithmi…
In this paper, we study hyperbolic rational maps with finitely connected Fatou sets. We construct models of post-critically finite hyperbolic tree mapping schemes for such maps, generalizing post-critically finite rational maps in the case of connected Julia set. We show they are general limits of rational maps as we quasiconformally stretch the dynamics. Conversely, we use quasiconformal surgery to show any post-critically finite hyperbolic tree mapping scheme arises as such a limit. We construct abundant examples thanks to the flexibilities of the models, and use them to construct a sequence…
We characterize two of the most studied non-uniform hyperbolicity conditions for rational maps, semi-hyperbolicity and the topological Collet-Eckmann condition, in terms of the maximal entropy measure. Using the same tools in the proof of these results we give an extension of a result of Carleson, Jones and Yoccoz, that semi-hyperbolicity characterizes those polynomial maps whose basin of attraction of infinity is a John domain, to rational maps having a completely invariant attracting basin.
Markov partitions persisting in a neighbourhood of hyperbolic components of rational maps were constructed under the condition that closures of Fatou components are disjoint in \cite{R1}. Given such a partition, we characterize all nearby hyperbolic components in terms of the symbolic dynamics. This means we can count them, and also obtain topological information. We also determine extra conditions under which all nearby type IV hyperbolic components are given by matings. These are probably the first known results of this type.
In this paper, we use the Carathéodory Convergence Theory to prove a landing theorem of rays in hyperbolic components with rational arguments. Although the proof is done in the setting of a family of entire transcendental maps with two singular values, the method can be generalized to many other one parameter families, with some modifications.
We extend Thurston's combinatorial criterion for postcritically finite rational maps to a class of rational maps with bounded type Siegel disks. The combinatorial characterization of this class of Siegel rational maps plays a special role in the study of general Siegel rational maps. As one of the applications, we prove that for any quadratic rational map with a bounded type Siegel disk, the boundary of the Siegel disk is a quasi-circle which passes through one or both of the critical points.
In this article, we consider a counting problem for orbits of hyperbolic rational maps on the Riemann sphere, where constraints are placed on the multipliers of orbits. Using arguments from work of Dolgopyat, we consider varying and potentially shrinking intervals, and obtain a result which resembles a local central limit theorem for the logarithm of the absolute value of the multiplier and an equidistribution theorem for the holonomies.
The aim of these lectures is the study of bifurcations within holomorphic families of polynomials or rational maps by mean of ergodic and pluripotential theoretic tools.
We develop a Thurston-like theory to characterize geometrically finite rational maps, then apply it to study pinching and plumbing deformations of rational maps. We show that in certain conditions the pinching path converges uniformly and the quasiconformal conjugacy converges uniformly to a semi-conjugacy from the original map to the limit. Conversely, every geometrically finite rational map with parabolic points is the landing point of a pinching path for any prescribed plumbing combinatorics.
For any given natural $d\ge 1$ we provide examples of rational self-maps of complex projective plane $\pp^2$ of degree $d$ without (holomorphic) fixed points. This makes a contrast with the situation in one dimension. We also prove that the set of fixed point free rational self-maps of $\pp^2$ is closed (modulo "degenerate" maps) in some natural topology on the space of rational self-maps of $\pp^2$.
Let $f:\hat{\mathbb C}\to\hat{\mathbb C}$ be a hyperbolic rational map of degree $d\ge2$ on the Riemann sphere. We give several conditions which are equivalent to the condition for the Julia set $J_f$ to be a Cantor set. It has been known that $J_f$ is a Cantor sets if and only if there exists a positive integer $n>0$ such that $\bar{f^{-n}(U)}\subset U$ for some open topological disc $U$ containing no critical values. Let $n_f$ denote the minimal positive integer satisfying the above. The problem is whether $n_f=1$ or not. Let $S_d$ denote the shift locus of rational maps of degree $d$. We sh…
We study the affine orbifold laminations that were constructed by Lyubich and Minsky. An important question left open in their construction is whether these laminations are always locally compact. We show that this is not the case. The counterexample we construct has the property that the regular leaf space contains (many) hyperbolic leaves that intersect the Julia set; whether this can happen is itself a question raised by Lyubich and Minsky.
We investigate boundedness of hyperbolic components in the moduli space of Newton maps. For quartic maps, (i) we prove hyperbolic components possessing two distinct attracting cycles each of period at least two are bounded, and (ii) we characterize the possible points on the boundary at infinity for some other types of hyperbolic components. For general maps, we prove hyperbolic components whose elements have fixed superattracting basins mapping by degree at least three are unbounded.
Let $K$ denote either $\mathbb{R}$ or $\mathbb{C}$. In this article, we introduce two new equivariants associated to a rational map $f\in K(z)$. These objects naturally live on a real hyperbolic space, and carry information about the action of $f$ on $\mathbb{P}^1(K)$. When $K=\mathbb{C}$ we relate the asymptotic behavior of these equivariants to the conformal barycenter of the measure of maximal entropy. We also give a complete description of these objects for rational maps of degree $d=1$. The constructions in this article are based on work of Rumely in the context of rational maps over non-…
In this paper, we study the Hausdorff dimension of the generalized intrinsic level set with respect to the given ergodic meausre in a class of non-uniformly hyperbolic interval maps with finitely many branches.
In this paper, we prove a criterion for the local ergodicity of non-uniformly hyperbolic symplectic maps with singularities. Our result is an extension of a theorem of Liverani and Wojtkowski.
We consider some general classes of random dynamical systems and show that a priori very weak nonuniform hyperbolicity conditions actually imply uniform hyperbolicity.
We prove in this paper that the set of semi-hyperbolic rational maps has Lebesgue measure zero in the space of rational maps of the Riemann sphere for a fixed degree d at least 2. It generalises an earlier result by J. Graczyk and the author who proved the same thing in degree 2.
We prove that a $C^1$ hyperbolic map whose differential is regular enough has an SRB measure. The precise regularity condition is weaker than H{ö}lder and was mentionned by various authors through the developement of expanding and uniformly hyperbolic dynamics.
A class of piecewise affine hyperbolic maps on a bounded subset of the plane is considered. It is shown that if a map from this class is sufficiently area-expanding then almost surely this map has an absolutely continuous invariant measure.
We prove that for meromorphic maps with logarithmic tracts (e.g. entire or meromorphic maps with a finite number of poles from class $\mathcal B$), the Julia set contains a compact invariant hyperbolic Cantor set of Hausdorff dimension greater than 1. Hence, the hyperbolic dimension of the Julia set is greater than 1.
Consider a rational map $f$ of degree at least 2 acting on its Julia set $J(f)$, a Hölder continuous potential $ϕ: J(f)\rightarrow \R$ and the pressure $P(f,ϕ). In the case where $\sup_{J(f)}ϕ<P(f,phi)$, the uniqueness and stochastic properties of the corresponding equilibrium states have been extensively studied. In this paper we characterize those potentials $ϕ$ for which this property is satisfied for some iterate of $f$, in terms of the expanding properties of the corresponding equilibrium states. A direct consequence of this result is that for a nonuniformly hyperbolic rational map every …
We construct a renormalization operator which acts on analytic circle maps whose critical exponent $α$ is not necessarily an odd integer $2n+1$, $n\in\mathbb N$. When $α=2n+1$, our definition generalizes cylinder renormalization of analytic critical circle maps. In the case when $α$ is close to an odd integer, we prove hyperbolicity of renormalization for maps of bounded type. We use it to prove universality and $C^{1+α}$-rigidity for such maps.
We consider a $C^1$ neighborhood of the time-one map of a hyperbolic flow and prove that the topological entropy varies continuously for diffeomorphisms in this neighborhood. This shows that the topological entropy varies continuously for all known examples of partially hyperbolic diffeomorphisms with one-dimensional center bundle.
We show some level-2 large deviation principles for rational maps satisfying a strong form of non-uniform hyperbolicity, called "Topological Collet-Eckmann". More precisely, we prove a large deviation principle for the distribution of iterated preimages, periodic points, and Birkhoff averages. For this purpose we show that each H{ö}lder continuous potential admits a unique equilibrium state, and that the pressure function can be characterized in terms of iterated preimages, periodic points, and Birkhoff averages. Then we use a variant of a general result of Kifer.
We discuss analogues of the prime number theorem for a hyperbolic rational map f of degree at least two on the Riemann sphere. More precisely, we provide counting estimates for the number of primitive periodic orbits of f ordered by their multiplier, and also obtain equidistribution of the associated holonomies; both estimates have power savings error terms. Our counting and equidistribution results will follow from a study of dynamical zeta functions that have been twisted by characters of $S^1$. We will show that these zeta functions are non-vanishing on a half plane $\Re(s) > δ- ε$, where $…
We consider the dynamics of semi-hyperbolic semigroups generated by finitely many rational maps on the Riemann sphere. Assuming that the nice open set condition holds it is proved that there exists a geometric measure on the Julia set with exponent $h$ equal to the Hausdorff dimension of the Julia set. Both $h$-dimensional Hausdorff and packing measures are finite and positive on the Julia set and are mutually equivalent with Radon-Nikodym derivatives uniformly separated from zero and infinity. All three fractal dimensions, Hausdorff, packing and box counting are equal. It is also proved that …
Compact locally maximal hyperbolic sets are studied via geometrically defined functional spaces that take advantage of the smoothness of the map in a neighborhood of the hyperbolic set. This provides a self-contained theory that not only reproduces all the known classical results but gives also new insights on the statistical properties of these systems.
Consider polynomial maps $f:\C\to\C$ of degree $d\ge 2$, or more generally polynomial maps from a finite union of copies of $\C$ to itself. In the space of suitably normalized maps of this type, the hyperbolic maps form an open set called the hyperbolic locus. The various connected components of this hyperbolic locus are called hyperbolic components, and those hyperbolic components with compact closure (or equivalently those contained in the "connectedness locus") are called bounded hyperbolic components. It is shown that each bounded hyperbolic component is a topological cell containing a uni…
Let $f:\widehat{\mathbb{C}}\rightarrow \widehat{\mathbb{C}}$ be a hyperbolic rational map of degree $d \geq 2$, and let $J \subset \mathbb{C}$ be its Julia set. We prove that $J$ always has positive Fourier dimension. The case where $J$ is included in a circle follows from a recent work of Sahlsten and Stevens, see arXiv:2009.01703. In the case where $J$ is not included in a circle, we prove that a large family of probability measures supported on $J$ exhibit polynomial Fourier decay: our result applies in particular to the measure of maximal entropy and to the conformal measure.
In this article, we show that every rational map whose multipliers all lie in a given number field is a power map, a Chebyshev map or a Lattès map. This strengthens a conjecture by Milnor concerning rational maps with integer multipliers, which was recently proved by Ji and Xie.
We establish necessary and sufficient conditions for the realization of mapping schemata as post-critically finite polynomials, or more generally, as post-critically finite polynomial maps from a finite union of copies of the complex numbers {\bf C} to itself which have degree two or more in each copy. As a consequence of these results we prove a transitivity relation between hyperbolic components in parameter space which was conjectured by Milnor.
We consider polynomial maps $f:\C\to\C$ of degree $d\ge 2$, or more generally polynomial maps from a finite union of copies of $\C$ to itself which have degree two or more on each copy. In any space $\p^{S}$ of suitably normalized maps of this type, the post-critically bounded maps form a compact subset $\cl^{S}$ called the connectedness locus, and the hyperbolic maps in $\cl^{S}$ form an open set $\hl^{S}$ called the hyperbolic connectedness locus. The various connected components $H_α\subset \hl^{S}$ are called hyperbolic components. It is shown that each hyperbolic component is a topologica…
We consider the set of partially hyperbolic symplectic diffeomorphisms which are accessible, have 2-dimensional center bundle and satisfy some pinching and bunching conditions. In this set, we prove that the non-uniformly hyperbolic maps are $C^r$ open and there exists a $C^r$ open and dense subset of continuity points for the center Lyapunov exponents. We also generalize these results to volume-preserving systems.
We study the thermodynamic formalism of sufficiently regular interval maps for Holder continuous potentials. We show that for a hyperbolic potential there is a unique equilibrium state, and that this measure is exponentially mixing. Moreover, we show the absence of phase transitions: The pressure function is real analytic at such a potential.
This is a preliminary investigation of the geometry and dynamics of rational maps with only two critical points. (originally titled ``On Bicritical Rational Maps'' in September 1997; revised and retitled April 1999)
We show that the set of Misiurewicz maps has Lebesgue measure zero in the parameter space of rational maps for any fixed degree greater than or equal to 2.
Consider a topologically exact $C^3$ interval map without non-flat critical points. Following the works we did in \cite{LiRiv12two}, we give two equivalent characterizations of hyperbolic Hölder continuous potential in terms of the Lyapunov exponents and the measure-theoretic entropies of equilibrium states for those potentials.
This work constructs symbolic dynamics for non-uniformly hyperbolic surface maps with a set of discontinuities $D$. We allow the derivative of points nearby $D$ to be unbounded, of the order of a negative power of the distance to $D$. Under natural geometrical assumptions on the underlying space $M$, we code a set of non-uniformly hyperbolic orbits that do not converge exponentially fast to $D$. The results apply to non-uniformly hyperbolic planar billiards, e.g. Bunimovich stadia.
