Fluctuations of ergodic averages (Q1305181)

The goal of the paper is to get some universal estimates for the probability that there are many fluctuations in the ergodic averages. The methods involve an effective Vitali type covering theorem and are valid for \(\mathbb{Z}^d\) actions, for any \(d\in\mathbb{N}\). Theorem. If \((X,{\mathfrak B},\mu,\{T_u: u\in \mathbb{Z}^2\})\) is a probability preserving action of \(\mathbb{Z}^2\), \(f\geq 0\) a nonnegative \({\mathfrak B}\)-measurable function, and \(\{A_nf(x)\}\) represents the averages of \(f(T_\mu x)\) as \(u\) ranges over \([-n,n]\times [-n,n]\), then for universal constants \(c_1\) and \(c_2\) and for \({\alpha\over \beta}= 1-{1\over K}\) we have \[ \begin{multlined} \mu \{x: \text{the sequence \(A_n f(x)\) fluctuates more than \(N\) times across the interval }(\alpha,\beta)\}\leq\\ c_1\Biggl\{\Biggl(1-{1\over K}\Biggr)^{{c_2\over K(\log K)^2}}\Biggr\}^N.\end{multlined} \] Theorem. There is a constant \(c\) so that for any integrable function \(f\) in a measure preserving \(\mathbb{Z}^2\) action, \((X,{\mathfrak B},\mu,T)\), for all \(\gamma>0\), \(N\in\mathbb{N}\) we have \[ \mu \{x:\{A_nf(x)\}\text{ has at least }N\;\gamma\text{-fluctuations}\}\leq \Biggl(c\cdot{\|f\|_1\over\gamma}\Biggr)\Biggl/ N^{1/3}(\log N)^{-3}. \] For \(\mathbb{Z}^1\) actions the estimates of both kinds were published in [\textit{A. G. Kachurovskij}, Russ. Math. Surv. 51, No. 4, 653-703 (1996); translation from Usp. Mat. Nauk 51, No. 4, 73-124 (1996; Zbl 0880.60024)] and [\textit{R. L. Jones}, \textit{R. Kaufman}, \textit{J. M. Rosenblatt} and \textit{M. Wierdl}, Ergodic Theory Dyn. Syst. 18, No. 4, 889-935 (1998; Zbl 0924.28009)].