Circular codes, loop counting, and zeta-functions (Q2639832)

We prove a simple formula for the zeta function of coded systems generated by circular codes (and more generally by circular Markov codes). We apply this to the loop counting method for determining the topological entropy of a subshift of finite type, to the zeta function of a Dyck shift over 2N symbols, and to the zeta function of a subshift of finite type which is obtained from a full shift by deleting one block of arbitrary length.