The cycle time vector of D-A-D functions (Q1963931)

A function \(F: \mathbb{R}^n\to \mathbb{R}^n\) is called topical if it satisfies the following properties: (1) \(F(x+ h)= F(x)+ h\) for \(x\in \mathbb{R}^n\), \(h\in\mathbb{R}\); (2) \(x\leq y\Rightarrow F(x)\leq F(y)\) for \(x,y\in \mathbb{R}^n\), where \(x\leq y\) if and only if \(x_i\leq y_i\) for all \(1\leq i\leq n\) and \(x+ h\) is the vector whose \(i\)th coordinate is \(x_i+ h\). It is known [\textit{M. G. Crandall} and \textit{L. Tartar}, Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 78, 385-390 (1980; Zbl 0449.47059)] that topical functions are nonexpansive in the \(\ell_\infty\) norm. The cycle time vector \(\chi(F)\in \mathbb{R}^n\) of a topical function \(F\) is defined as the \(\lim_{k\to\infty} F^k(x)/k\), if this limit exists for some \(x\in\mathbb{R}^n\) (if the limit exists for some \(x\) in \(\mathbb{R}^n\) then it exists everywhere and has the same value). In the present paper the author shows that the cycle time vector exists for a class of topical functions associated with matrix scaling problems and that it can be computed from the spectral radius of the function.