Monotone dynamical systems with dense periodic points (Q1784833)

Let \(V\) be a finite-dimensional vector space with a solid closed cone \(C\) with associated order \(\leq_C\). Let \(\Omega\subset C\) be open and connected and \(f:\Omega\to\Omega\) a monotone homeomorphism, i.e., \(f(x)\leq_C f(y)\) for all \(x,y\in \Omega\) with \(x\leq_C y\). \textit{M. Hirsch} [``Monotone dynamical systems with polyhedral order cones and dense periodic points'', AIMS Math. 2, No. 1, 24--27 (2017; \url{doi:10.3934/Math.2017.1.24})] showed that for polyhedral \(C\) the following holds: if the discrete dynamical system \((f,\Omega)\) has a dense set of periodic points in \(\Omega\) then \(f\) must be periodic. Moreover, he conjectured that this result holds for any solid closed cone. The present authors answer this conjecture in the affirmative. The main tool is a result obtained by Hirsch: let \((f,\Omega)\) be a monotone dynamical system with a homeomorphism \(f\) such that the set of periodic points is dense in \(\Omega\), then for every \(x\in\Omega\) the set of periodic points is dense \((x+\partial C)\cap\Omega\) and in \((x-\partial C)\cap\Omega\). Hirsch's proof uses algebraic topology, but the present authors provide an elementary proof using geometric arguments.