Topological chaos and statistical triviality (Q6112498)

Two flows \(\phi\) and \(\psi\) defined on a compact metric space are equivalent if there exists a homeomorphism of the space that sends each orbit of \(\phi\) onto an orbit of \(\psi\) while preserving the time orientation. While topological entropy is an invariant for equivalent homeomorphisms, finite non-zero topological entropy for a flow cannot be an invariant because its value is affected by time reparameterization. However, \(0\) and \(\infty\) topological entropy are invariants for equivalent flows without fixed points. For equivalent continuous flows with fixed points, \textit{T. Ohno} [Publ. Res. Inst. Math. Sci. 16, 289--298 (1980; Zbl 0482.28032)] constructed an example which shows that neither \(0\) nor \(\infty\) entropy is preserved by equivalence. For equivalent differential flows with singularities, \textit{W. Sun} et al. [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 361, No. 6, 3071--3082 (2009; Zbl 1172.37002)] constructed an example which shows that \(0\) topological entropy is not preserved by equivalence. In both examples, the phenomena that positive topological entropy degenerates to 0 (entropy degeneracy) and that all ergodic invariant measures with positive measure-theoretic entropy degenerate to the atomic measures supposed on fixed points or singularities (measure degeneracy) happen simultaneously, while shifting homeomorphically one flow to its equivalent flow on a compact metric space or compact smooth manifold. In this paper, the authors showed that positive topological entropy degenerates to zero if and only if all ergodic invariant measures with positive measure-theoretic entropy degenerate to fixed points. Whenever \(\phi\) is assumed to be topological transitive, the measure degeneracy implies that the resulted equivalent flow \(\psi\) is topologically chaotic but statistically trivial, meaning that all ergodic invariant measures are supported on fixed points. Finally, the authors point out that a non-hyperbolic singularity causes degeneracy while changing one flow equivalently to another.