Distortion elements for surface homeomorphisms (Q2636589)

Let \(S\) be a compact orientable surface different from the sphere and from the disc, and let \(\Pi: \widetilde{S}\to S\) be its universal cover. The covering space \(\widetilde S\) is equal to a subset of the Euclidean plane or of the hyperbolic plane; denote by \(\delta(A)\) the diameter of \(A\subset \widetilde{S}\) in the Euclidean or, respectively, in the hyperbolic distance. Assume \(f\in \mathrm{Homeo}_0(S)\), i.e., \(f\) belongs to the component of the identity in the group of homeomorphisms of \(S\) and is equal to the identity in a neighborhood of \(\partial S\). Denote by \(\widetilde{f} : \widetilde{S}\to \widetilde{S}\) the final homeomorphism of the lift (with respect to \(\Pi\)) of an isotopy connecting \(f\) to the identity on \(S\). The main theorem asserts that if \(D\) is a fundamental domain of \(\widetilde S\) and \[ \liminf_{n\to\infty} {\delta(\widetilde{f}^n(D))\log (\delta({\widetilde{f}^n(D)))}\over{n}}=0 \] then \(f\) is a distortion element in \(\mathrm{Homeo}_0(S)\). The theorem is a partial converse of a result in the paper [\textit{J. Franks} and \textit{M. Handel}, Duke Math. J. 131, No. 3, 441--468 (2006; Zbl 1088.37009)].