Ergodic solenoidal homology: Realization theorem

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Publication:2430675



Abstract: We define generalized currents associated with immersions of abstract oriented solenoids with a transversal measure. We realize geometrically the full real homology of a compact manifold with these generalized currents, and more precisely with immersions of minimal uniquely ergodic solenoids. This makes precise and geometric De Rham's realization of the real homology by only using a restricted geometric subclass of currents.


Any closed oriented \(k\)-dimensional submanifold \(N\) of a smooth compact connected \(n\)-manifold \(M\) defines an element of \(H_k(M,\mathbb Z)\), and this may be seen as integration of the restriction to \(N\) of differential \(k\)-forms on \(M\). An immersion of \(N\) into \(M\) also defines a homology class by integration of pull-backs of \(k\)-forms. However, there are topological obstructions found by \textit{R. Thom} [C. R. Acad. Sci., Paris 236, 453-454, 573--575 (1953; Zbl 0050.39502)] that prevent all integer homology classes from being realised in this way. Any integer homology class does have a realisation by topological \(k\)-chains, and the elements of \(H_k(M,\mathbb R)\) are realised as real formal combinations of \(k\)-cells. On the other hand, it is often useful to have explicit realisations of real homology classes. \textit{S. Schwartzman} [Ann. Math. (2) 66, 270--284 (1957; Zbl 0207.22603)] gave a limiting procedure by which almost every curve arising as a solution of a differential equation admitting an invariant ergodic probability measure that is embedded in \(M\) may define an element of \(H_1(M,\mathbb R)\). The authors have extended this to higher dimensions. \textit{D. Ruelle} and \textit{D. Sullivan} [Topology 14, 319--327 (1975; Zbl 0321.58019)] defined geometric currents in each dimension \(k\), \(0\leq k\leq n\) by using oriented \(k\)-laminations embedded in \(M\) with a transverse measure, and used them to integrate \(k\)-forms on each leaf of the foliation and thence over the whole foliation using the transverse measure. This construction applied in each flow-box can be extended using a partition of unity to produce an element dependent only on the homology class of the \(k\)-form. Here more general Ruelle--Sullivan currents are considered, by allowing immersions of abstract oriented solenoids. These generalized geometric currents give a general realisation theorem: every real homology class in \(H_k(M,\mathbb R)\) can be realized by a generalized current using embedded oriented, minimal, uniquely ergodic solenoids. Several further results give a fuller explanation of why solenoids are needed to achieve such a realisation result, and the authors go on to formulate a ``solenoidal Hodge conjecture concerning representation of classes in \(H^{p,p}(M)\). For part II see [Aust. J. Math. Anal. Appl. 6, No.~1, Article 11, 8 p., electronic only (2009; Zbl 1175.37015)].











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