Continuous itinerary functions and dendrite maps (Q2384403)

This paper involves a study of dynamical systems on dendrites. Recall that a dendrite \(D\) is a uniquely arcwise connected locally connected continuum -- a continuum is a compact connected metric space. Suppose that \(f:D\rightarrow D\) is a map, \(t\in D\), and \(f\) is not locally one-to-one at \(t\). Then \(t\) is called a turning point. The set of components of \(D\setminus\{t\}\) can be listed as a sequence \(L_1\), \(L_2\), \dots. One reserves \(L_0\) for \(\{t\}\) in this setting. For \(x\in D\) and \(n\in\mathbb N\cup\{0\}\), there is a unique \(\iota_n\) such that \(f^n(x)\in L_{\iota_n}\). So with respect to this arbitrary indexing of the components of \(D\setminus\{t\}\), there is an ``itinerary'' \(\iota(x,f)=\langle\iota_0,\iota_1,\dots\rangle\). In case there is a unique turning point \(t\), then \(\iota(t,f)\) is called the kneading sequence of \(f\). The author examines those maps on dendrites that have a unique turning point and simultaneously the unique itinerary property, i.e., distinct points have distinct itineraries. The theory developed allows a classification of such maps. Great care is taken to lay out, in Section 1, complete definitions of most of the terms that will be employed. Since this paper is lengthy, it is very helpful that at the end an Index of Terms, a list of Latin notation, a list of Greek notation, and a list of Symbols are provided.