Anosov flows, growth rates on covers and group extensions of subshifts (Q2225235)

Let \(M\) be a compact smooth Riemannian manifold and let \(\phi^t:M\rightarrow M\) be a transitive Anosov flow. Assume that \(X\) is a regular cover of \(M\) with covering group \(G\), i.e., \(G\) acts freely and isometrically on \(X\) such that \(M=X/G\). Let \(\phi_X^t:X\rightarrow X\) be the lifted flow, which we assume to be transitive. Denote by \(\mathcal P(\phi_X)\) the set of periodic orbits of \( \phi_X^t\) and, for \(\gamma\in P(\phi_X)\), we write \(l(\gamma )\) for its period. For an open, relatively compact set \(W\subset X\) define \[ h(X):=\limsup_{T\rightarrow \infty}\frac{1}{T} \log \#\left\{\gamma\in \mathcal P(\phi_X): l(\gamma )\leq T\,, \;\;\gamma\cap W\neq \emptyset\right\}. \] This definition is independent of the choice of \(W\). Let \(X^{ab}\) be the maximal abelian subcover of the cover \(X\rightarrow M\). The main result shows that \(h(X)=h(X^{ab})\) if and only if \(G\) is amenable. The proof of this result is based on symbolic dynamics and, in particular, group extensions of subshifts of finite type. It is also shown that the projection of the periodic orbits of amenable covers \(X\) on the compact factor \(M\) equidistribute with respect to a natural equilibrium measure.