Uniqueness of the measure of maximal entropy for geodesic flows on certain manifolds without conjugate points

DOI10.1016/J.AIM.2020.107452MaRDI QIDQ2214093zbMATH OpenOpenAlexWikidataFDO

Authors Vaughn Climenhaga, Gerhard Knieper, K. M. War

Publication date 4 December 2020

Published in Advances in Mathematics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/1903.09831

conjugate point geodesic flow maximal metric entropy mixing

Ergodicity, mixing, rates of mixing (37A25) Topological entropy (37B40) Smooth ergodic theory, invariant measures for smooth dynamical systems (37C40) Thermodynamic formalism, variational principles, equilibrium states for dynamical systems (37D35) Dynamical systems of geometric origin and hyperbolicity (geodesic and horocycle flows, etc.) (37D40) Geodesics in global differential geometry (53C22)

Abstract: We prove that for closed surfaces

M

with Riemannian metrics without conjugate points and genus

g e q 2

the geodesic flow on the unit tangent bundle

T^{1} M

has a unique measure of maximal entropy. Furthermore, this measure is fully supported on

T^{1} M

and the flow is mixing with respect to this measure. We formulate conditions under which this result extends to higher dimensions.

Review text

The main theorem proven in the article is the following: Theorem. Let \((M,g)\) be a closed surface of genus \(g\geq 2\), without conjugate points. Then the geodesic flow has a unique measure of maximal entropy, whose support is the whole of \(T^{1}M\). Besides, the flow is mixing and is the limiting distribution along periodic orbits. We recall that, by variational principles, for a measure of maximal entropy its (metric) entropy is equal to the topological entropy. The question of existence and uniqueness of such measure is a classical problem, starting with the works of \textit{R. Bowen} [Math. Syst. Theory 7, 300--303 (1974; Zbl 0303.58014)], for the case of manifolds with negative sectional curvature. The proof of the main theorem follows from a similar and very interesting result stated in a more general context of a Riemannian manifold without conjugate points. For that, additional geometric and topological conditions, already satisfied by surfaces without conjugate points, are required, as follows: \(M\) admits a ``background Riemannian metric, with negative sectional curvature, with equivalent underlying distances: \(A^{-1} d_{0}(x,y) \leq d(x,y) \leq A d_{0}(x,y), A>0\). As a consequence, the flow of every metric without conjugate point has positive topological entropy. Geodesics starting from a common point in the universal cover eventually diverge. All invariant measures of ``nearly maximal entropy have support on the expansive set of the flow. The fundamental group of \(M\) is residually finite (that is, the intersection of all the subgroups of finite indices is trivial), a property used to obtain a larger injectivity radius by passing to a finite cover of \(M\). For the proof of uniqueness and ergodicity (mixing), the authors adapt the concepts of expansiveness and specifications, introduced by Bowen, and use previous works by \textit{M. Babillot} [Isr. J. Math. 129, 61--76 (2002; Zbl 1053.37001)], \textit{V. Climenhaga} and \textit{D. J. Thompson} [Adv. Math. 303, 745--799 (2016; Zbl 1366.37084)] and \textit{K. Burns} et al. [Geom. Funct. Anal. 28, No. 5, 1209--1259 (2018; Zbl 1401.37038)]. All the background concepts and ideas are very well explained.

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