Under certain conditions, we construct a countable Markov partition for pointwise hyperbolic diffeomorphism $f:M\rightarrow M$ on an open invariant subset $O\subset M$, which allows the Lyapunov exponents to be zero. From this partition, we define a symbolic extension that is finite-to-one and onto a subset of O that carries the same finite f-invariant measures as O. Our method relies upon shadowing theory of a recurrent-pointwise-pseudo-orbit that we introduce. As a canonical application, we estimate the number of closed orbits for f.

We consider $C^{r}$-diffeomorphisms ($1 \leq r \leq +\infty$) of a compact smooth manifold having two pairs of hyperbolic periodic points of different indices which admit transverse heteroclinic points and are connected through a blender. We prove that, by giving an arbitrarily $C^{r}$-small perturbation near the periodic points, we can produce a periodic point for which the first return map in the center direction coincides with the identity map up to order $r$, provided the transverse heteroclinic points satisfy certain natural conditions involving higher derivatives of their transition maps in the center direction. As a consequence, we prove that $C^{r}$-generic diffeomorphisms in a small neighborhood of the diffeomorphism under consideration exhibit super-exponential growth of number of periodic points. We also give examples which show the necessity of the conditions we assume.

This survey describes the recent advances in the construction of Markov partitions for non-uniformly hyperbolic systems. One important feature of this development comes from a finer theory of non-uniformly hyperbolic systems, which we also describe. The Markov partition defines a symbolic extension that is finite-to-one and onto a non-uniformly hyperbolic locus, and this provides dynamical and statistical consequences such as estimates on the number of closed orbits and properties of equilibrium measures. The class of systems includes diffeomorphisms, flows, and maps with singularities.

Let $G$ be a group acting properly by isometries and with a strongly contracting element on a geodesic metric space. Let $N$ be an infinite normal subgroup of $G$ and let $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FF}_{N}$ and $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FF}_{G}$ be the growth rates of $N$ and $G$ with respect to the pseudo-metric induced by the action. We prove that if $G$ has purely exponential growth with respect to the pseudo-metric, then $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FF}_{N}/\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FF}_{G}>1/2$. Our result applies to suitable actions of hyperbolic groups, right-angled Artin groups and other CAT(0) groups, mapping class groups, snowflake groups, small cancellation groups, etc. This extends Grigorchuk’s original result on free groups with respect to a word metric and a recent result of Matsuzaki, Yabuki and Jaerisch on groups acting on hyperbolic spaces to a much wider class of groups acting on spaces that are not necessarily hyperbolic.

We consider stable and almost stable points of autonomous and nonautonomous discrete dynamical systems defined on the closed unit interval. Our considerations are associated with chaos theory by adding an additional assumption that an entropy of a function at a given point is infinite.

The points which converge to $\infty$ under iteration of the maps $z\mapsto\lambda\exp(z)$ for $\lambda \in \mathbb{C} \backslash \{0\}$ are investigated. A complete classification of such ‘escaping points’ is given: they are organized in the form of differentiable curves called rays which are diffeomorphic to open intervals, together with the endpoints of certain (but not all) of these rays. Every escaping point is either on a ray or the endpoint (landing point) of a ray. This answers a special case of a question of Eremenko. The combinatorics of occurring rays, and which of them land at escaping points, are described exactly. It turns out that this answer does not depend on the parameter $\lambda$.

It is also shown that the union of all the rays has Hausdorff dimension 1, while the endpoints alone have Hausdorff dimension 2. This generalizes results of Karpińska for specific choices of $\lambda$.