Isolating blocks of isolated invariant continua and fixed point index (Q2631668)

In this interesting paper the authors study the sequence of fixed point indices of iterates \(i_{\mathbb{R}^2}(f^k,K)\) of a local homeomorphism \(f:U\subset\mathbb{R}^2\longrightarrow f(U)\subset\mathbb{R}^2\), where \(K\) is an isolating invariant continuum in the sense of Conley. To do this they construct a special kind of filtration pairs, the so-called \textit{strong filtration pairs}. This is done in the more general case of homeomorphisms \(f:S^n\longrightarrow S^n\). The main result of the paper states that \[ i_{\mathbb{R}^2}(f^k,K)= \begin{cases} 2-C(k)-P(k) & \mbox{if}\; f^k \;\text{is orientation-preserving}.\\ -C'(k)-P(k) & \mbox{if}\; f^k \;\text{is orientation-reversing}. \end{cases} \] Here \(C(k)\) denotes the number of components \(C\) of \(\mathbb{R}^2\setminus K\) such that \(f^k(U\cap C)\subset C\). \(C'(K)\) is also defined in terms of the components of \(\mathbb{R}^2\setminus K\) and \(P(k)\geq 0\) is determined by the action of \(f^k\) on the exit set of \(N\). This result generalizes Corollary 9 in [\textit{H. Barge} and \textit{J.M.R. Sanjurjo}, J. Math. Anal. Appl. 420, No. 1, 835--851 (2014; Zbl 1304.37017)] and is also related to Proposition 28 in [\textit{H. Barge}, Nonlinear Anal., Theory Methods Appl., Ser. A, Theory Methods 146, 100--119 (2016; Zbl 1376.37041)]. Some interesting consequences are derived from the sequence of fixed point indices. In particular, it follows that \(i_{\mathbb{R}^2}(f^k,K)\leq 2\) and there exists a \(k_0>0\) such that \(i_{\mathbb{R}^2}(f^{nk_0},K)\leq 1\) for each \(n>0\) if \(f\) is orientation-preserving. On the other hand, if \(\mathbb{R}^2\setminus K\) has at least three components, there exists \(k_0>0\) such that \(i_{\mathbb{R}^2}(f^{k_0},K)<0\) and, as a consequence, \(K\) contains a periodic orbit. Another interesting result states that if \(K\) is a proper invariant continuum of a homeomorphisms defined on \(S^2\) containing all the periodic trajectories, then \(K\) is not isolated. A similar result is proved in the case of non-connected invariant sets.