On the entropy of Japanese continued fractions (Q928457)

The so-called Japanese continued fractions are a parametrized family of maps defined as follows: for~\(0\leq\alpha\leq1\), define a map~\(T_{\alpha}:[\alpha-1,\alpha]\to[\alpha-1,\alpha]\) by~\(T_{\alpha}(x)=|\frac{1}{x}|-\lfloor| \frac{1}{x}|+1-\alpha\rfloor\); for~\(0<\alpha\leq1\) these maps are expanding and have a unique absolutely continuous invariant probability measure. These were introduced by \textit{H. Nakada} [Tokyo J. Math. 4, 399--426 (1981; Zbl 0479.10029)], who gave an explicit description of the natural extension and invariant measure for~\(\frac12\leq\alpha\leq1\). This family of maps interpolates between the Gauss map~\(T_1\) and the nearest integer continued fraction map~\(T_{1/2}\). Here the measure-theoretic entropy map~\(h:\alpha\mapsto h(\alpha):=h(T_{\alpha})\) is shown to be continuous and to have the property that~\(h(\alpha)\to0\) as~\(\alpha\to0\). Numerical evidence suggests that the convergence to zero is not monotone, and that the entropy function has infinitely many phase transitions and a self-similar structure. In addition, the natural extension and the invariant densities are found for~\(\alpha=\frac{1}{n}\).