Combinatorial proofs of the Conley-Zehnder-Franks theorem on a fixed point for torus homeomorphisms (Q1261129)

Let \(f\) be a homeomorphism of an annulus \(A\) or a torus \(T^ 2\) homotopic to identity, preserving a Borel probability measure \(\mu\), and a rotationless one (i.e., \(\int(f(x) - x)d\mu = 0\) where the linear structure is induced from the covering spaces). Theorem: If either \(\mu\) is positive on open sets, or \(\mu\) is ergodic for \(f\), then \(f\) has a fixed point. The author presents two beautiful combinatorial proofs of this result which is due to \textit{J. Franks} [Ergodic Theory Dyn. Syst. 8, 99-107 (1988; Zbl 0634.58023)]. The first one uses the Lax version of the Marriage Theorem, the second one Euler's theorem on circuits in graphs applied on the flow matrix \(r_{ij} = \mu(\sigma_ i \cap f^{- 1}\sigma_ j)\) where \(\sigma_ 1,\dots,\sigma_ n\) is a fine partition of the space. Moreover, a weakened version of the Poincaré-Birkhoff Theorem (with only one fixed point) is derived by using a result of Oxtoby and Ulam on homeomorphic measures.