Self-maps of \(S^2\) homotopic to a smooth map with a single \(n\)-periodic point (Q2404094)

The author shows that for any \(d\in\mathbb{Z}\) and \(n\in\mathbb{N}\) there exists a smooth map \(f\) of the two-dimensional sphere \(S^2\) such that the degree \(\deg(f)=d\) and the set of fixed points of the \(n\)-th iteration \(f^n\) is a singleton (or the emptyset) if and only if \(d=0,\pm 1\) or \(n=1\) or \(d=-2\) and \(n=2\). This problem is a special case of some much more general questions concerning the realizability of integer sequences as fixed point indices of iterates of maps on manifolds (the so-called Dold congruences). The problem is discussed with details and well-illustrated.