Hausdorffization and polynomial twists (Q2430078)

In holomorphic dynamics, much work goes into the classification of different dynamical systems within a certain family of iterated holomorphic maps, for instance -- as in the paper under review -- the family of iterated polynomials of a given degree \(d\). This classification is unique up to a natural equivalence such as topological conjugacy. The quotient of the space of degree \(d\) polynomials modulo topological equivalence is not Hausdorff. The authors investigate the ``Hausdorffization'' of an equivalence relation, which is the smallest extension of the equivalence relation that is Hausdorff. The first result is negative: the Hausdorffization of degree \(d\) polynomials modulo topological equivalence is trivial (i.e., all polynomials are equivalent). This essentially means the wrong question was asked, and the authors proceed to study more subtle equivalence relations and their Hausdorffization properties. The main result builds upon work by \textit{B. Branner} and \textit{J. H. Hubbard} (on cubic and higher degree polynomials) [``The iteration of cubic polynomials. I: The global topology of parameter space'', Acta Math. 160, No. 3--4, 143--206 (1988; Zbl 0668.30008)] and by \textit{C. T. McMullen} and \textit{D. P. Sullivan} (on the Teichmüller space of rational maps) [``Quasiconformal homeomorphisms and dynamics. III: The Teichmüller space of a holomorphic dynamical system'', Adv. Math. 135, No. 2, 351--395 (1998; Zbl 0926.30028)]. Branner and Hubbard introduced a ``critical heights equivalence relation'' (taking into account the speed of escape for escaping critical values), while McMullen and Sullivan investigated the space of twisting and stretching of the annuli between equipotentials of escaping critical values. In terms of these concepts (that are reviewed in the paper), the main result is the following (Theorem 1.2): The critical-heights equivalence relation is the Hausdorffization of the basin-twist relation on the space of degree \(d\) polynomials. In addition, there is Theorem 1.3 that studies the relations of the various equivalence relations investigated in this paper.