Persistence of Bowen-Ruelle-Sinai measures (Q2642819)

This paper is concerned with how an Anosov diffeomorphism \(f\) of a 2-torus may lose hyperbolicity, and the extent to which ergodic properties are less easy to destroy. In the generic situation \(f\) must pass through a first elementary bifurcation or have a periodic point involved in a quadratic tangency by the work of \textit{S. Newhouse, J. Palis} and \textit{F. Takens} [Publ. Math., Inst. Hautes Étud. Sci. 57, 5--71 (1983; Zbl 0518.58031)]. The work of \textit{J. Palis} and \textit{F. Takens} [Ann. Math. (2) 125, 337--374 (1987; Zbl 0641.58029)] precludes a generic quadratic tangency as a first bifurcation in dimension 2, leading to a search for cubic tangencies. This kind of contact is not generic but is topologically persistent, and in this paper it is shown that if an arc begins at an Anosov diffeomorphism of the 2-torus and ends on the boundary of its stability component while a flat homoclinic tangency or a cubic heteroclinic tangency happens, then the endmost diffeomorphism is not hyperbolic but is conjugate to the start point and (the main result) ergodic properties persist. In particular, the torus is a global attractor with a fully-supported physical measure.