The constructing of energy functions for \(\Omega \)-stable diffeomorphisms on 2- and 3-manifolds (Q2203278)

An energy function of a dynamical system on a manifold \(M\) is taken here to mean a smooth Lyapunov function \(\varphi : M \rightarrow \mathbb{R}\), where the set of critical points of \(\varphi\) coincides with the chain recurrent set of the system. The authors ask which discrete dynamical systems admit energy functions. This paper reviews a number of prior results on energy functions before discussing the authors' newest results. They first consider energy functions for Morse-Smale flows on a smooth compact manifold \(M\), and recall the result of \textit{D. Pixton} [Topology 16, 167--172 (1977; Zbl 0355.58004)] that any Morse-Smale diffeomorphism on a surface has a Morse energy function. A generalization of this result to \(\Omega\)-stable 2-diffeomorphisms such that the nonwandering sets are finite is presented. A Morse energy function has been constructed for such diffeomorphisms. Among the results that the authors review are the following. It is known that there are Morse-Smale diffeomorphisms on the three-dimensional sphere that have no Morse energy function; necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of a Morse energy function for three-dimensional Morse-Smale diffeomorphisms are known; and the fewest number of critical points of the Lyapunov function such that they are not critical points of discrete dynamical systems is two. In the last part of their paper the authors discuss discrete dynamical systems with chaotic behavior that do have energy functions. A smoothing procedure for constructing such a function is described. The authors construct energy functions for several classes of \(\Omega\)-stable 2- and 3-diffeomorphisms with nontrivial basic sets of codimension one.