Rigidity of center Lyapunov exponents and \(su\)-integrability (Q2214032)

The authors consider partially hyperbolic volume-preserving \(C^{1+\alpha}\) diffeomorphisms \(f\) of the \(3\)-torus. Partial hyperbolicity means that the tangent bundle splits invariantly as a sum \(E^s \oplus E^c \oplus E^u\) of one-dimensional subbundles such that \(E^s\) is uniformly contracting, \(E^u\) is uniformly expanding, and \(E^c\) has in-between expansion rates. Such diffeomorphisms \(f\) are clearly homotopic to a toral automorphism \(A\) represented by a matrix in \(\mathrm{GL}(3,\mathbb{Z})\). It is known that \(A\) is partially hyperbolic as well [\textit{D. Burago} and \textit{S. Ivanov}, J. Mod. Dyn. 2, No. 4, 541--580 (2008; Zbl 1157.37006); \textit{R. Potrie}, J. Mod. Dyn. 9, 81--121 (2015; Zbl 1352.37055)]. The authors prove that if \(A\) happens to be hyperbolic (Anosov), then \(f\) is ergodic with respect to the volume measure. The hypothesis cannot be removed: consider for instance a \(2\)-dimensional Anosov times the identity map. This theorem was known (as a combination of known results by several authors) except in the case that the subbundles \(E^s\) and \(E^u\) are jointly integrable, i.e., there exists an invariant foliation \(\mathcal{F}^{su}\) tangent to the planes \(E^s \oplus E^u\). The main goal of the paper is the following rigidity result: the subbundles \(E^s\) and \(E^u\) are jointly integrable if and only if all periodic points of \(f\) have the same center Lyapunov exponent as \(A\). Furthermore, either of these conditions imply that \(f\) is Anosov and, in particular, ergodic.