On the diffeomorphism groups of the circle generated by elements close to rotations (Q2565937)

Let \(\Gamma\) be a subgroup of the group \(\text{Homeo}_{+}(S^1)\) of orientation-preserving homeomorhisms of the circle. Let \(K\subset S^1\) be a compact minimal invariant set of \(\Gamma\). It is well known that one (and only one) of the following possibilities holds: (a) there exists (at least) one finite orbit; (b) all orbits are dense; (c) there exists a unique (homeomorphic to the Cantor set) compact invariant minimal set (exceptional set) which is contained in the closure of each orbit. When the group \(\Gamma\) is cyclic infinite and its generator possesses certain regularity (e.g., \(C^2\)) the case (c) is impossible. However, Cantor minimal sets can appear for noncyclic subgroups of diffeomorphisms of \(S^1\) of the class \(C^{\infty}\) or even real analytic. The aim of the paper is to point out some restrictions for the existence of minimal exceptional sets for groups acting on the circle by diffeomorphisms of the class \(C^2\). It is shown that if the generators satisfy certain conditions then the minimal exceptional set cannot exist. In addition, some dynamical properties in this case are presented. The main paper results are as follows. Theorem A: There exists a constant \(\delta_0>0\) such that if \(\Gamma\) is a subgroup of \(\text{Diff}^2_{+}(S^1)\) generated by a set \(\Gamma^1\) (not necessary finite) of diffeomorphisms among which there is at least one having a finite number of periodic points and \(| f''(x)| \leq \delta_0\) for all \(f\in\Gamma^1\) and all \(x\in S^1\) then \(\Gamma\) does not admit exceptional minimal set. Theorem B: There exists a constant \(\lambda_0>0\) such that if \(\Gamma\) is a subgroup of \(\text{Diff}^{\text{log}}_{+}(S^1)\) generated by a set \(\Gamma^1\) of diffeomorphisms among which there is at least one having a finite number of periodic points and \(\text{var}(\text{log}(f'))| \leq \lambda_0\) for all \(f\in\Gamma^1\) then \(\Gamma\) does not admit exceptional minimal set. Theorem C: There exists a constant \(\lambda_1>0\) such that if \(\Gamma\) is a subgroup of the group of orientation preserving real analytic diffeomorphisms of the circle which is generated by a set \(\Gamma^1\) of elements satisfying \(\text{var}(\text{log}(f'))| \leq \lambda_1\) for all \(f\in\Gamma^1\) then \(\Gamma\) does not admit exceptional minimal set. Theorem D: Let \(\Gamma\) be a group of diffeomorphisms of the circle generated by a family \(\Gamma^1\) of elements such that \(| f''(x)| \leq \delta_0\) for all \(f\in\Gamma^1\), where \(\delta_0\) is the constant in Theorem A. Suppose that \(\Gamma\) does not have a finite orbit and periodic points of at least of one of its generators are isolated. Then \(\Gamma\) acts on \(S^1\) in an ergodic manner (with respect to the Lebesgue measure). Theorem E: Let \(\Gamma_1\) and \(\Gamma_2\) be two groups of orientation preserving diffeomorphisms of the circle satisfying the hypothesis of Theorem D (with respect to a sufficiently small constant \(\delta_1\)). Let \(\Gamma_1^1=\{f_{i,1}:i\in\mathcal I\}\) and \(\Gamma_2^1=\{f_{i,2}:i\in\mathcal I\}\) be families of generators close to rotations of \(\Gamma_1\) and \(\Gamma_2\), respectively. Suppose that \(\Gamma_1\) and \(\Gamma_2\) are conjugate by orientation preserving homeomorphism \(\varphi\) of \(S^1\): \(\varphi\circ f_{i,1}\circ \varphi^{-1}\) for all \(i\in\mathcal I\). If \(\varphi\) is absolutely continuous then \(\varphi\) is a \(C^2\) diffeomorphism. Moreover, if every \(f_{i,j}\), \(i\in\mathcal I\), \(j=1,2\) is \(C^r\) with \(2\leq r\leq\omega\) then \(\varphi\) is a \(C^r\) diffeomorphism.