Topological ergodicity of real cocycles over minimal rotations (Q1598190)

Suppose \(X\) is a compact metric group, \(T:X\rightarrow X\) a minimal rotation and \(\varphi:X\rightarrow R\) a topological cocycle. It is shown that in this case, one of the three following statements must hold: (i) \(\varphi\) is a topological coboundary; (ii) the cocycle extension \(T_{\varphi}:X\times R\rightarrow X\times R\) is topologically ergodic; (iii) the partition of \(X\times R\) into orbits of \(T_{\varphi}\) coincides with its partition into minimal sets. An example is presented showing that this conclusion can fail if one weakens the assumptions on \(T\). As an application of the main result, a disjointness theorem of \textit{S. Glasner} and \textit{B. Weiss} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 316, No. 2, 689-703 (1989; Zbl 0696.28008)] is established under slightly weaker hypotheses than in the original.