Topological invariants for semigroups of holomorphic self-maps of the unit disk (Q727849)

The authors consider semigroups of holomorphic self-maps of the unit disk \(\mathbb D=\{z\in\mathbb C:|z|<1\}\) and their properties which are invariant under conjugation via homeomorphisms of \(\mathbb D\), without any assumptions on the regularity on \(\partial\mathbb D\). Let \(f:\mathbb D\to\mathbb D\) be holomorphic and \(x\in\partial\mathbb D\). The number \[ \alpha_x(f):=\liminf_{z\to x}\frac{1-|f(z)|}{1-|z|} \] is called the boundary dilatation coefficient of \(f\). The angular limit of \(f\) at \(x\) is denoted by \(\angle\lim_{z\to x}f(z)\). A point \(x\in\partial\mathbb D\) is said to be a contact point (respectively, boundary fixed point) of \(f\), if \(f(x):=\angle\lim_{z\to x}f(z)\) exists and belongs to \(\mathbb D\) (respectively, coincides with \(x\)). If \(\alpha_x(f)<\infty\), then \(x\) is a regular contact point (respectively, boundary regular fixed point) of \(f\). A boundary fixed point which is not regular is said to be super-repelling. Let \((\varphi_t)\), \(t\geq0\), be a continuous one-parameter semigroup of holomorphic self-maps of \(\mathbb D\) with respect to composition. A boundary (regular) fixed point for \((\varphi_t)\) is a point \(x\in\partial\mathbb D\) which is a boundary (regular) fixed point of \(\varphi_t\) for all \(t\geq0\). If \((\varphi_t)\) is not a group of elliptic automorphisms, there exists a unique Denjoy-Wolff point \(x\in\overline{\mathbb D}:=\mathbb D\cup\partial\mathbb D\) of \((\varphi_t)\) such that \(\lim_{t\to\infty}\varphi_t(z)=x\) for all \(z\in\mathbb D\). The life-time \(T(x)\) of \(x\in\partial\mathbb D\) on the boundary is the supremum of \(t\in[0,\infty]\) such that \(\varphi_t(x)\in\partial\mathbb D\). For a semigroup \((\varphi_t)\), there exists a unique holomorphic vector field \(G:\mathbb D\to\mathbb C\), called the infinitesimal generator of \((\varphi_t)\), such that \[ \frac{\partial\varphi_t(z)}{\partial t}=G(\varphi_t(z)),\;\;z\in\mathbb D,\;\;t\geq0. \] An open arc \(A\subset\partial\mathbb D\) is said to be a contact arc for \((\varphi_t)\) if \(G\) extends holomorphically to \(A\) with \(\text{Re}(\overline zG(z))=0\) and \(G(z)\neq0\) for all \(z\in A\). A contact arc \(A\) is maximal if there is no other contact arc \(B\supset A\), \(B\neq A\), for \((\varphi_t)\). A maximal contact arc for \((\varphi_t)\) whose final point is the Denjoy-Wolff point of \((\varphi_t)\) is called an exceptional maximal contact arc. Denote by \(M(\varphi_t)\subset\partial\mathbb D\) the set of points which belong to an exceptional maximal contact arc for \((\varphi_t)\). For the Denjoy-Wolff point \(x\in\overline{\mathbb D}\) of \((\varphi_t)\), let \(E(\varphi_t):=\overline{M(\varphi_t)\cup\{x\}}\cap\partial\mathbb D\). The main result is given in the following theorem. Theorem 1.1: Let \((\varphi_t)\), \((\phi_t)\) be two semigroups of holomorphic self-maps of \(\mathbb D\), which are not elliptic groups. Let \(x\in\overline{\mathbb D}\) be the Denjoy-Wolff point of \((\varphi_t)\) and \(y\in\overline{\mathbb D}\) the Denjoy-Wolff point of \((\phi_t)\). Assume that \(f:\mathbb D\to\mathbb D\) is a homeomorphism such that \(f\circ\phi_t=\varphi_t\circ f\) for all \(t\geq0\). Then \(f\) extends to a homeomorphism from \(\overline{\mathbb D}\setminus E(\phi_t)\) to \(\overline{\mathbb D}\setminus E(\varphi_t)\). Moreover, for all \(p\in\partial\mathbb D\setminus E(\phi_t)\), it holds \(T(p)=T(f(p))\) and \(f(\phi_t(p))=\varphi_t(f(p))\) for all \(t\geq0\). Finally, if \(x\in\partial\mathbb D\), then \(y\in\partial\mathbb D\) and \(\angle\lim_{z\to x}f(z)=y\). The results on topological invariants are summarized as follows. Proposition 1.2: The following are topological invariants for semigroups of holomorphic self-maps of \(\mathbb D\): \newline (1) fixed points in \(\mathbb D\), \newline (2) boundary regular fixed points which do not start exceptional maximal contact arcs, \newline (3) super-repelling fixed points which start maximal, non-exceptional, contact arcs, \newline (4) super-repelling fixed points having backward orbits of \((\varphi_t)\) landing at such points, \newline (5) maximal contact arcs which are not exceptional, \newline (6) life-time on the boundary of a boundary point, \newline (7) boundary points of continuity for a semigroup, i.e., points on \(\partial\mathbb D\) such that every element of the semigroup has unrestricted limits at such points.