Code and order in polygonal billiards (Q649823)

Let \(P\) be a polygon with \(k\) sides labeled counterclockwise, say \(\{e_1,\cdots,e_k\}\). Let \(V_P\) be the phase space of the billiard map on the table \(P\). Every point \(v\in V_P\) (without hitting the corners) has a symbolic representation \(\sigma(v)\in\{e_1,\cdots,e_k\}^{\mathbb{Z}}\), which records the itinerary of its billiard orbit. A natural question is, to what extend does one symbolic itinerary determine the polygonal table \(P\)? The paper under review proves several results in this direction. More precisely, two polygons \(P\) and \(Q\) are said to be ``code-equivalent'', if there are two points \(u\in V_P\), \(v\in V_Q\) such that both points have infinite forward orbits, their traces are dense on the boundaries of the polygons, and they have the same symbolic forward itineraries: \(\sigma_n(u)=\sigma_n(v)\) for all \(n\geq0\). Then they prove the following: Theorem 5.3. Let \(P\) and \(Q\) be code-equivalent. Assume \(P\) is rational, and the point \(u\) is non-exceptional. Then \(Q\) is also rational and the point \(v\) is non-exceptional, too. In particular, an irrational polygon cannot be code-equivalent to a rational polygon. Here, a point \(u\in V_P\) is said to be ``non-exceptional'', if its trajectory never gets parallel to any general diagonal of \(P\). Theorem 7.1. Let \(P\) and \(Q\) be code-equivalent. Assume \(P\) is rational, and the point \(u\) is non-exceptional. Then all the angles of \(P\) are equal to the angles of \(Q\) at the corresponding corners. In particular, if \(P\) is a triangle, then \(P\) and \(Q\) are similar triangles. Then under a slightly stronger assumption on the direction of \(u\), they also generalize the last statement to all polygons; namely \(P\) and \(Q\) are similar, if the greatest common denominator of the angles of \(P\) is at least 3. In the last section, they compare code-equivalence with ``order-equivalence'', which is treated in their previous paper [Fundam. Math. 212, No. 2, 129--144 (2011; Zbl 1219.37015)].