Markov partitions for hyperbolic toral automorphisms of \(\mathbb{T}^2\) (Q1293519)

An automorphism of a two-dimensional torus \(T^2\) is determined by a linear automorphism of \(\mathbb{R}^2\), the matrix of which has integer entries, the absolute value of the determinant being 1. It is hyperbolic when none of the eigenvalues of the matrix has modulus equal to 1. This paper has set its aim on constructing and studying Markov partitions with two connected rectangles for all hyperbolic toral automorphisms on the two dimensional torus \(T^2\). It is about to extend Adler and Weis results limited to specific cases of these automorphisms, for which one is not included when the automorphism determinant is positive with a negative trace. The author defines rectangles differently from Bowen in order to allow the use of larger rectangles to partition \(T^2\). Using continued fractions expansion of the slope of the unstable eigenvector, he proves that every matrix of the above type, with eigenvalues lying off the unit circle, is similar over the integers to a matrix with all nonnegative, or all nonpositive entries. From this result a constructive proof is given for the fact that a Markov partition with two connected rectangles always exists.