Approach to equilibrium for locally expanding maps in \({\mathbb{R}}^ k\) (Q1065438)

By using the transfer operator or Perron-Frobenius operator technique existence of an absolutely continuous invariant measure for certain locally expanding maps of the unit cube in \({\mathbb{R}}^ k\) is proved. Krasnoselskij's theory of \(u_ 0\)-positive operators in a Banach space is used to prove existence of a gap in the spectrum of the above transfer operator which immediately leads to a Kuzmin-type theorem for such systems, which means exponential mixing properties. Several number theoretic transformations like the Perron-Jacobi algorithm and other F-expansions are discussed and shown to belong to the above class of locally expanding maps. The results extend the theory of Lasota and Yorke for one dimensional maps to higher dimensions.