On mixing diffeomorphisms of the disc (Q2187245)

A pseudo-rotation \(f\) is a homeomorphism of \(\mathbb{D} = \{(x,y) \in \mathbb{R}^2 \colon x^2+y^2 \leq 1\}\) that preserves the Lebesgue measure, fixes the origin, and has no other periodic points. \textit{B. Bramham} showed in [Invent. Math. 199, No. 2, 561--580 (2015; Zbl 1353.37007)] that when the rotation number of a pseudo-rotation is very well approximated by rationals then the pseudo-rotation is \(C^0\)-rigid. In this paper the authors generalize, on the basis of Franks' free disc Lemma, the above result: (i) They extend the result to non-Brjuno rotation numbers; (ii) They determine rigidity in higher regularity. Further, the authors give a quantitive gap of \(||D f^m||\) between exponential and sub-exponential growth for an area-preserving disc diffeomorphism of class \(C^2\), thus proving rigidity for non-Brjuno rotation numbers. It is pointed out by the authors that their approach to rigidity of pseudo-rotations cannot go much beyond non-Brjuno type numbers, irrespective of the regularity of the pseudo-rotation. Thus, to cover the case of less Liouvillean numbers, they use KAM theory. Last but not least, the introduction of this article ends with a series of questions and comments about the rigidity of pseudo-rotations, which emphasize the importance and vitality of this topic in dynamical systems theory.