Multi-dimensional maps with infinite invariant measures and countable state sofic shifts (Q1904417)

The paper studies piecewise invertible maps satisfying finite range structure (FRS), a weaker condition than Markov. The requirement is (1) \(T:X \to X\) is a map on a bounded domain \(X \subset \mathbb{R}^d\), (2) \(Q=\{X_\alpha\}_{\alpha \in I}\) is a generating countable partition of \(X\), consisting of measurable connected subsets with piecewise smooth boundaries, (3) for each \(\alpha\), \(T|X_\alpha\) is a homeomorphism, (4) if we let \(X_{a_1 \dots a_1 \cap}=X_{a_1 \cap} T^{-1} X_{a_2 \cap \cdots \cap} T^{- (n-1)} X_{a_n}\) provided this set has nonempty interior and put \({\mathcal U}=\{T^n X_{a_1 \dots a_n}:\forall X_{a_1 \dots a_n}\), \(\forall X_{a_1 \dots a_n}\), \(\forall n > 0\}\), then \({\mathcal U}\) consists of only finitely many subsets of \(X\) with positive Lebesgue measure. \((T,X,Q, {\mathcal U})\) is a piecewise invertible system with \(FRS\). If \(\text{int} (X_{\alpha \cap} TX_b) \neq \emptyset\) implies \(\text{int} (X_\alpha) \subset T X_b\) then \(T\) satisfies the Markov property. But in any case (4) leads to countable state symbolic dynamics (similar to sofic systems). Under additional assumptions \((T,X,Q, {\mathcal U})\) admits an ergodic \(\sigma\) finite invariant measure equivalent to Lebesgue measure. The paper establishes various generalisations and extensions of the results as well as some new properties of \(FRS\) structures. An interesting result is the direct construction of a countable state sofic shift which realises \(T\) in a particular way. The paper concludes with two illustrative examples.