Entropy and dyadic equivalence of random walks on a random scenery (Q5927524): Difference between revisions

A decreasing sequence of \(\sigma\)-algebras comprises a probability space \((X,{\mathcal F}_0,\mu)\) and \(\sigma\)-algebras \({\mathcal F}_0\supset {\mathcal F}_1\supset {\mathcal F}_2\supset \dots\); it is called dyadic if \({\mathcal F}_i \mid {\mathcal F}_{i+1}\) has for all \(i\) two point fibres of equal mass, and standard if \({\mathcal F}_i=\sigma (X_j,j\geq i)\) where the \(X_j\)'s are iid Bernoulli random variables. Two such sequences are isomorphic, if there is a \(1:1\) measure preserving map such that the \(i\)th \(\sigma\)-algebras are mapped to each other. The authors consider such sequences arising from so-called \([T,T^{-1}]\)-endomorphisms (also called random walks on a random scenery) where the scenery process \(T\) is a \(1-1\) measure preserving map on a probability space \((Y,{\mathcal C},\nu)\) such that \(T^2\) is ergodic and \(\sigma\) is a shift on \((X,{\mathcal B},\mu) =(\{-1,+1\}^\mathbb{N}\), Borel sets, \(({1\over 2}\delta_{-1}+ {1\over 2} \delta_1)^{ \otimes\mathbb{N}})\). Then \([T,T^{-1}](x,y):=(\sigma x,T^xy)\) for \((x,y)\in X\times Y\) and \({\mathcal F}_i:=[T,T^{-1}]^{-i} ({\mathcal B}\otimes {\mathcal C})\) is a dyadic decreasing sequence of \(\sigma\)-algebras. The main result of the paper states that if any two sequences of \(\sigma\)-algebras arising from \([T,T^{-1}]\) and \([S,S^{-1}]\) are isomorphic, then the maps \(T\) and \(S\) have the same entropy; this is, in particular, the case if \([T,T^{-1}]\) and \([S,S^{-1}]\) are isomorphic mappings. This complements earlier results by \textit{D. Heicklen} and \textit{C. Hoffman} [Ergodic Theory Dyn. Syst. 18, 875-878 (1998; Zbl 0919.28011)] who show that decreasing sequences of \(\sigma\)-algebras attached to a map \(T\) with positive entropy cannot be standard and by \textit{J. Feldman} and \textit{D. J. Rudolph} [Fundam. Math. 157, 175-189 (1998; Zbl 0913.28013)] who treat the zero-entropy case showing that sequences derived from rank-1 maps are standard. The proof of the main result uses certain tree structures coming from iterated preimages of \([T,T^{-1}]\). A central point is a relation between \textit{J. Feldman}'s and \textit{A. M. Vershik}'s metrics \(\overline f\) and \(v\) [see Isr. J. Math. 24, 16-38 (1976; Zbl 0336.28003), St. Petersbg. Math. J. 6, No. 4, 705-761 (1995); translation from Algebra Anal. 6, No. 4, 1-68 (1994; Zbl 0853.28009)] which is obtained from certain automorphisms within the tree.