Handel's fixed point theorem revisited (Q2873998)

The author gives a new proof of Handel's fixed point theorem [Topology 38, No. 2, 235--264 (1999; Zbl 0928.55001)] thereby slightly generalizing the result. Denote by \(\mathbb{D}\) the plane open unit disk and let \(P\subset\mathbb{D}\) be a compact convex \(n\)-gon with vertices \(\{v_i|\;i\in\mathbb{Z}_n\}\) and edges \(e_i\) joining \(v_i\) and \(v_{i+1}\) and orient the \(e_i\) in such a way that \(P\) is either to the right or left of \(e_i\). One says that the orientations of \(e_i\) and \(e_j\) coincide if \(P\) is to the same side of both \(e_i\) and \(e_j\). For \(i\in\mathbb{Z}\) let \(\delta_i=0\) if the orientations of \(e_{i-1}\) and \(e_i\) coincide and \(\delta_i=1\) else. Define the index of \(P\) by \(i(P)=1-\frac12\sum_{i\in\mathbb{Z}_n}\delta_i\). Denote by \(\alpha_i\) (\(\omega_i\)) the first (last) point of intersection of the straight line containing \(e_i\) with \(\partial\mathbb{D}\) where we orient the line according to \(e_i\). A homeomorphism \(f:\mathbb{D}\to\mathbb{D}\) is said to realize \(P\) if there exists a family \((z_i)_{i\in\mathbb{Z}}\) such that \(\lim_{k\to-\infty}f^k(z_i)=\alpha_i\) and \(\lim_{k\to\infty}f^k(z_i)=\omega_i\) for all \(i\in\mathbb{Z}_n\). The author then proves the following theorem: Assume that \(f:\mathbb{D}\to\mathbb{D}\) is an orientation-preserving homeomorphism realizing a compact convex polygon \(P\subset\mathbb{D}\) where the points \(\alpha_i,\omega_i\) are different for all \(i\in\mathbb{Z}_n\). Assume further that \(f\) can be extended as a homeomorphism of \(\mathbb{D}\cup\bigcup_{i\in\mathbb{Z}_n}\{\alpha_i,\omega_i\}\). If \(i(P)\not=0\) then \(f\) has a fixed point. If, in addition, \(i(P)=1\) then there exists a simple closed curve in \(\mathbb{D}\) of index \(1\).