Specification properties for non-autonomous discrete systems (Q2194615)

If \((X,d)\) is a compact metric space and \(f_n:X\to X\) is a continuous map for each \(n\in \mathbb{N}\), a nonautonomous discrete dynamical system is defined by \(x_{n+1} = f_n(x_n),~ n \geq 1,\) and denoted by \((X,f_{1,\infty })\), where \(f_{1,\infty }=\{f_n:n\in \mathbb{N} \}\). When \(f_n = f\), for each \(n \in \mathbb{N}\), the system becomes an autonomous system. The authors introduce the notions of strong specification property and quasi-weak specification property for nonautonomous discrete dynamical systems (recall that \(f_1^j=f_j\circ \cdots \circ f_2 \circ f_1 \)): 1) A nonautonomous system \((X, f_{1,\infty })\) has the strong specification property (SSP) if for every \(\epsilon > 0\), there exists \(M(\epsilon )\) such that, for every choice of points \(x_1,x_2,\dots , x_k \in X\) and any sequence \(a_1\leq b_1 < \cdots < a_k \leq b_k\) of non-negative integers with \(a_j - b_{j-1} > M(\epsilon)\), \(2 \leq j \leq k\), and any \(p > M(\epsilon) + b_k - a_1\), there exists a periodic point \(z \in X\) with period \(p\) satisfying \(d(f_1^j(z), f_1^j(x_i)) < \epsilon \), for all \(a_i \leq j \leq b_i\), \(1 \leq i \leq k\). 2) A nonautonomous system \((X, f_{1,\infty })\) has the quasi-weak specification property (QSP) if for every \(\epsilon > 0\), there exists a positive integer \(M(\epsilon )\) such that for all \(x_1,x_2\in X\) and for every \(n \geq M(\epsilon)\), there is a point \(z \in X \) such that \(d(z, x_1) < \epsilon\) and \(d(f_1^n(z), f_1^n(x_2)) < \epsilon \). Observe that SSP \(\Rightarrow \) QSP. The authors show that SSP and QSP are dynamical properties which are preserved under finite products. They also prove that a \(k\)-periodic nonautonomous system on intervals having the weak specification is Devaney chaotic. Moreover, it is shown that if the system has strong specification then the result is true in general. Specification properties of induced systems on hyperspaces and probability measures spaces are also studied. Some examples are considered.