Dynamics and the Godbillon-Vey class of \(C^1\) foliations (Q1651436): Difference between revisions

In a brief note [C. R. Acad. Sci., Paris, Sér. A 273, 92--95 (1971; Zbl 0215.24604)], \textit{C. Godbillon} and \textit{J. Vey}, introduced an invariant \(GV(\mathcal{F}) \in H^3(M;\mathbb{R})\) for a codimension-one \(C^2\)-foliation \(\mathcal{F}\) on a manifold \(M\) without boundary, which is now known as the Godbillon-Vey class. The problem considered in the present paper was first posed in a paper by \textit{R. Moussu} and \textit{F. Pelletier} [Ann. Inst. Fourier 24, No. 1, 131--148 (1974; Zbl 0273.57008)], where they conjectured that a codimension-one foliation \(\mathcal{F}\) with \(GV(\mathcal{F})\neq 0\) must have leaves of exponential growth. In the main result, the present authors prove that if a codimension-one foliation \(\mathcal{F}\) on a manifold \(M\) without boundary has Godbillon-Vey class \(GV(\mathcal{F})\neq 0\), then \(\mathcal{F}\) has a hyperbolic resilient leaf. The approach is based on methods of \(C^1\)-dynamical systems, and does not use the classification theory of \(C^2\)-foliations, as was the case in earlier work on the problem. The paper is carefully written with appropriate references to the huge literature on foliations.