Möbius-like groups of homeomorphisms of the circle (Q4269092)

Denote by \({\mathcal M}\) the group of orientation preserving Möbius transformations of the complex plane preserving the unit disk. Every element of \({\mathcal M}\) also preserves the boundary, \(S^1\), of the disk. In other words, we can view \({\mathcal M}\) as a subgroup of the group of all orientation preserving homeomorphisms of \(S^1\): \({\mathcal M} \hookrightarrow Homeo_{+}(S^1)\), \(f\rightarrow f|_{S^1}\). Given \(f\in Homeo_{+}(S^1)\) we say that \(f\) is Möbius-like if there exists some homeomorphism \(g\) of \(S^1\) such that \(gfg^{-1}\in {\mathcal M}\). Main Theorem. Let \(G\) be a group of orientation preserving homeomorphisms of \(S^1\) such that every element of \(G\) is Möbius-like. Let \(L(G)\) denote the limit set of \(G\). Suppose there exists a point on \(S^1\) which is fixed by all elements of \(G\). Then exactly one of the following possibilities occurs: 1. \(G\) is cyclic. 2. \(L(G)=S^1\). Then the whole group \(G\) can be conjugated to a nondiscrete Möbius group (i.e. its restriction to \(S^1\)). 3. \(L(G)\neq S^1\). Then \(S^1 - L(G)\) is an infinite union of disjont intervals \((x_i,y_i)\). There is a new circle \(S^1_{*}\), which is obtained from \(S^1\) by identifying intervals \([x_i,y_i]\) to points, and there is an induced action of \(G\) on \(S^1_{*}\) so that \(G\) with this induced action is as in 2. In particular, \(G\) is isomorphic (as a group) to a Möbius group. Alternative versions of the main theorems use the standard map of the unit disk onto the upper half-plane. Then \({\mathcal M}\) becomes \(PSL_2({\mathbb{R}})\). The subgroup of all elements of \(PSL_2({\mathbb{R}})\) fixing \(\infty\) is the group of all affine homeomorphisms of \({\mathbb{R}}\). The notion of Möbius-likeness on the circle then translates to the notion of affine-likeness on \({\mathbb{R}}\).