Dense invariant open distributionally scrambled sets and closed distributionally scrambled sets (Q2437657)

The size and properties of scrambled sets is an important topic in distributional chaos and Li-Yorke chaos. Let \(X\) be a compact metric space with metric \(d\), and \(f: X\to X\) a continuous map. For any \(x,y\in X\) with \(x\neq y\) and \(t>0\) let \(\Phi_{xy}(t)\) be defined as \[ \liminf_{m\to\infty} {1\over m}\# \{i: 0\leq i\leq m-1, d(f^i(x), f^i(y))< t\} \] and \(\Phi^*_{xy}(t)\) as \[ \limsup_{m\to\infty} {1\over m}\#\{i: 0\leq i\leq m-1, d(f^i(x), f^i(y))< t\}. \] Here \(\# C\) denotes the cardinality of the set \(C\). A set \(S\subset X\) of cardinality \(\geq 2\) is called distributionally scrambled (DS) if \(\Phi^*_{xy}(t)= 1\) for all distinct \(x,y\in S\) and all \(t> 0\), and \(\Phi_{xy}(t)= 0\) for some \(t>0\). The authors prove that the complement in \(X\) of a DS set \(S\) is infinite, and if the space \(X\) is uncountable and \(S\) a closed DS set, then its complement is also uncountable.