Dynamics, points and places at infinity, and the inversion of polynomial self-maps of \(\mathbb{R}^2\) (Q2221485)

The Jacobian conjecture, which predicts that a polynomial map \(F:\mathbb C^n \to \mathbb C^n\) with nonvanishing Jacobian must be globally invertible with polynomial inverse, remains open after more than 80 years. Many authors have contributed partial positive results to this conjecture, especially when \(n=2\). One such result of \textit{S. S. Abhyankar} [Lectures on expansion techniques in algebraic geometry. With notes by Balwant Singh. Bombay: Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (1977; Zbl 0818.14001)] and \textit{T. T. Moh} [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 44, 22--24 (1974; Zbl 0309.14011)] says that if \(G=(G_1, G_2): \mathbb C^2 \to \mathbb C^2\) has nonvanishing jacobian and \(G_1\) has one place at infinity (meaning that the closure of the curve \(\{G_1 =0 \}\) in \(\mathbb P^2\) is irreducible and intersects that line at infinity in exactly one point), then \(G\) is invertible. Along with giving a new topological proof of this, the authors prove that if a polynomial map \(F=(F_1, F_2): \mathbb R^2 \to \mathbb R^2\) has nonvanishing Jacobian and \(F_1\) has one point at infinity, then \(F\) is globally invertible, mirroring the Abhyankar-Moh result. Their argument is dynamic in nature, using half-Reeb components, a tool used by \textit{C. Gutiérrez} in his solution of the Markus-Yamabe global asymptotic stability conjecture [Ann. Inst. Henri Poincaré, Anal. Non Linéaire 12, 627--671 (1995; Zbl 0837.34057)]. Even if \(F\) fails to be globally injective as in an example of \textit{S. Pinchuk} [Math. Z. 217, 1--4 (1994; Zbl 0874.26008)], the authors show that there is an unbounded Euclidean sector \(S \subset \mathbb R^2\) such that \(F:S \to \mathbb R^2\) is injective.