An isotopic to the identity map of the 2-torus, that has zero rotation vector with respect to an invariant ergodic probability measure, has a fixed point by a theorem of Franks. We give a version of this result for nilpotent subgroups of isotopic to the identity diffeomorphisms of the 2-torus. In such a context we guarantee the existence of global fixed points for nilpotent groups of irrotational diffeomorphisms. In particular, we show that the derived group of a nilpotent group of isotopic to the identity diffeomorphisms of the 2-torus has a global fixed point.

We develop a variational method for constructing positive entropy invariant measures of Lagrangian systems without assuming transversal intersections of stable and unstable manifolds, and without restrictions to the size of non-integrable perturbations. We apply it to a family of $2\frac{1}{2}$ degrees of freedom a priori unstable Lagrangians, and show that if we assume that there is no topological obstruction to diffusion (precisely formulated in terms of topological non-degeneracy of minima of the Peierls barrier), then there exists a vast family of ‘horseshoes’, such as ‘shadowing’ ergodic positive entropy measures having precisely any closed set of invariant tori in its support. Furthermore, we give bounds on the topological entropy and the ‘drift acceleration’ in any part of a region of instability in terms of a certain extremal value of the Fréchet derivative of the action functional, generalizing the angle of splitting of separatrices. The method of construction is new, and relies on study of formally gradient dynamics of the action (coupled parabolic semilinear partial differential equations on unbounded domains). We apply recently developed techniques of precise control of the local evolution of energy (in this case the Lagrangian action), energy dissipation and flux.

For each $n\geq 2$, we investigate a family of iterated function systems which is parameterized by a common contraction ratio $s\in \mathbb{D}^{\times }\equiv \{s\in \mathbb{C}:0<|s|<1\}$ and possesses a rotational symmetry of order $n$. Let ${\mathcal{M}}_{n}$ be the locus of contraction ratio $s$ for which the corresponding self-similar set is connected. The purpose of this paper is to show that ${\mathcal{M}}_{n}$ is regular-closed, that is, $\overline{\text{int}\,{\mathcal{M}}_{n}}={\mathcal{M}}_{n}$ holds for $n\geq 4$. This gives a new result for $n=4$ and a simple geometric proof of the previously known result by Bandt and Hung [Fractal $n$-gons and their Mandelbrot sets. Nonlinearity 21 (2008), 2653–2670] for $n\geq 5$.

We study the automorphism groups of countable homogeneous directed graphs (and some additional homogeneous structures) from the point of view of topological dynamics. We determine precisely which of these automorphism groups are amenable (in their natural topologies). For those which are amenable, we determine whether they are uniquely ergodic, leaving unsettled precisely one case (the ‘semi-generic’ complete multipartite directed graph). We also consider the Hrushovski property. For most of our results we use the various techniques of Angel et al [Random orderings and unique ergodicity of automorphism groups. J. Eur. Math. Soc., 16 (2014), 2059–2095], suitably generalized to a context in which the universal minimal flow is not necessarily the space of all orders. Negative results concerning amenability rely on constructions of the type considered in Zucker [Amenability and unique ergodicity of automorphism groups of Fraïssé structures. Fund. Math., 226 (2014), 41–61]. An additional class of structures (compositions) may be handled directly on the basis of very general principles. The starting point in all cases is the determination of the universal minimal flow for the automorphism group, which in the context of countable homogeneous directed graphs is given in Jasiński et al [Ramsey precompact expansions of homogeneous directed graphs. Electron. J. Combin., 21(4), (2014), 31] and the papers cited therein.

We construct a multiply Xiong chaotic set with full Hausdorff dimension everywhere that is contained in some multiply proximal cell for the full shift over finite symbols and the Gauss system, respectively.

We prove a conjecture by Kawaguchi–Silverman on arithmetic and dynamical degrees, for self-morphisms of semi-abelian varieties. Moreover, we determine the set of the arithmetic degrees of orbits and the (first) dynamical degrees of self-morphisms of semi-abelian varieties.

Let $\unicode[STIX]{x1D719}$ be a post-critically finite branched covering of a two-sphere. By work of Koch, the Thurston pullback map induced by $\unicode[STIX]{x1D719}$ on Teichmüller space descends to a multivalued self-map—a Hurwitz correspondence ${\mathcal{H}}_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D719}}$—of the moduli space ${\mathcal{M}}_{0,\mathbf{P}}$. We study the dynamics of Hurwitz correspondences via numerical invariants called dynamical degrees. We show that the sequence of dynamical degrees of ${\mathcal{H}}_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D719}}$ is always non-increasing and that the behavior of this sequence is constrained by the behavior of $\unicode[STIX]{x1D719}$ at and near points of its post-critical set.

For $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}\in (1,2]$ the $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}$-transformation $T_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}}:[0,1)\rightarrow [0,1)$ is defined by $T_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}}(x)=\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}x\hspace{0.6em}({\rm mod}\hspace{0.2em}1)$. For $t\in [0,1)$ let $K_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}}(t)$ be the survivor set of $T_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}}$ with hole $(0,t)$ given by

$$\begin{eqnarray}K_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}}(t):=\{x\in [0,1):T_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}}^{n}(x)\not \in (0,t)\text{ for all }n\geq 0\}.\end{eqnarray}$$

$E_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}}$

$t\in [0,1)$

$t\mapsto K_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}}(t)$

$E_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}}$

$\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}\in (1,2)$

$\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}\in (1,2)$

$E_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}}$

$\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}\in (1,2)$

$E_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}}$

$E_{2}$

$\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}\in (1,2)$

$\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F}_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}}$

$K_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}}(t)$

$t<\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F}_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}}$

$\unicode[STIX]{x1D70F}_{\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}}\leq 1-(1/\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD})$

$\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FD}\in (1,2)$

We generalize the higher rank rigidity theorem to a class of Finsler spaces, i.e. Berwald spaces. More precisely, we prove that a complete connected Berwald space of finite volume and bounded non-positive flag curvature with rank at least two whose universal cover is irreducible is a locally symmetric space or a locally Minkowski space.

If $G\ncong \operatorname{Alt}(\mathbb{N})$ is an inductive limit of finite alternating groups, then the indecomposable characters of $G$ are precisely the associated characters of the ergodic invariant random subgroups of $G$.

Analyticity results of expected pressure and invariant densities in the context of random dynamics of transcendental functions are established. These are obtained by a refinement of work by Rugh [On the dimension of conformal repellors, randomness and parameter dependency. Ann. of Math. (2) 168(3) (2008), 695–748] leading to a simple approach to analyticity. We work under very mild dynamical assumptions. Just the iterates of the Perron–Frobenius operator are assumed to converge. We also provide Bowen’s formula expressing the almost sure Hausdorff dimension of the radial fiberwise Julia sets in terms of the zero of an expected pressure function. Our main application establishes real analyticity for the variation of this dimension for suitable hyperbolic random systems of entire or meromorphic functions.

This paper provides a systematic study of fundamental combinatorial properties of one-dimensional, two-sided infinite simple Toeplitz subshifts. Explicit formulas for the complexity function, the palindrome complexity function and the repetitivity function are proved. Moreover, a complete description of the de Bruijn graphs of the subshifts is given. Finally, the Boshernitzan condition is characterized in terms of combinatorial quantities, based on a recent result of Liu and Qu [Uniform convergence of Schrödinger cocycles over simple Toeplitz subshift. Ann. Henri Poincaré12(1) (2011), 153–172]. Particular simple characterizations are provided for simple Toeplitz subshifts that correspond to the orbital Schreier graphs of the family of Grigorchuk’s groups, a class of subshifts that serves as the main example throughout the paper.

Consider a $C^{1}$-partially hyperbolic diffeomorphism $f:M\rightarrow M$. Following the ideas in establishing the local variational principle for topological dynamical systems, we introduce the notions of local unstable metric entropies (and local unstable topological entropy) relative to a Borel cover ${\mathcal{U}}$ of $M$. It is shown that they coincide with the unstable metric entropy (and unstable topological entropy, respectively), when ${\mathcal{U}}$ is an open cover with small diameter. We also define the unstable tail entropy in the sense of Bowen and the unstable topological conditional entropy in the sense of Misiurewicz, and demonstrate that both of them vanish. Some generalizations of these results to the case of unstable pressure are also investigated.

We study the $C^{1}$-topological properties of the subset of non-uniform hyperbolic diffeomorphisms in a certain class of $C^{2}$ partially hyperbolic symplectic systems which have bounded $C^{2}$ distance to the identity. In this set, we prove the stability of non-uniform hyperbolicity as a function of the diffeomorphism and the measure, and the existence of an open and dense subset of continuity points for the center Lyapunov exponents. These results are generalized to the volume-preserving context.

Eagleson’s theorem asserts that, given a probability-preserving map, if renormalized Birkhoff sums of a function converge in distribution, then they also converge with respect to any probability measure which is absolutely continuous with respect to the invariant one. We prove a version of this result for almost sure limit theorems, extending results of Korepanov. We also prove a version of this result, in mixing systems, when one imposes a conditioning both at time 0 and at time $n$.

We show that any non-trivial self-similar subset of the real line that is invariant under a lattice iterated function system (IFS) satisfying the open set condition (OSC) is not Minkowski measurable. So far, this has only been known for special classes of such sets. Thus, we provide the last puzzle-piece in proving that under the OSC a non-trivial self-similar subset of the real line is Minkowski measurable if and only if it is invariant under a non-lattice IFS, a 25-year-old conjecture.

Several perturbation tools are established in the volume-preserving setting allowing for the pasting, extension, localized smoothing and local linearization of vector fields. The pasting and the local linearization hold in all classes of regularity ranging from $C^{1}$ to $C^{\infty }$ (Hölder included). For diffeomorphisms, a conservative linearized version of Franks’ lemma is proved in the $C^{r,\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}}$ ($r\in \mathbb{Z}^{+}$, $0<\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}<1$) and $C^{\infty }$ settings, the resulting diffeomorphism having the same regularity as the original one.

We study 2-generated subgroups $\langle f,g\rangle <\operatorname{Homeo}^{+}(I)$ such that $\langle f^{2},g^{2}\rangle$ is isomorphic to Thompson’s group $F$, and such that the supports of $f$ and $g$ form a chain of two intervals. We show that this class contains uncountably many isomorphism types. These include examples with non-abelian free subgroups, examples which do not admit faithful actions by $C^{2}$ diffeomorphisms on 1-manifolds, examples which do not admit faithful actions by $PL$ homeomorphisms on an interval, and examples which are not finitely presented. We thus answer questions due to Brin. We also show that many relatively uncomplicated groups of homeomorphisms can have very complicated square roots, thus establishing the behavior of square roots of $F$ as part of a general phenomenon among subgroups of $\operatorname{Homeo}^{+}(I)$.

An invariant measure is called a Bernoulli measure if the corresponding dynamics is isomorphic to a Bernoulli shift. We prove that for $C^{1+\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}}$ diffeomorphisms any weak mixing hyperbolic measure could be approximated by Bernoulli measures. This also holds true for $C^{1}$ diffeomorphisms preserving a weak mixing hyperbolic measure with respect to which the Oseledets decomposition is dominated.