Smale Space Research Articles

𝐾𝐾-duality for self-similar groupoid actions on graphs

We extend Nekrashevych’s K K KK -duality for C ∗ C^* -algebras of regular, recurrent, contracting self-similar group actions to regular, contracting self-similar groupoid actions on a graph, removing the recurrence condition entirely and generalising from a finite alphabet to a finite graph. More precisely, given a regular and contracting self-similar groupoid ( G , E ) (G,E) acting faithfully on a finite directed graph E E , we associate two C ∗ C^* -algebras, O ( G , E ) \mathcal {O}(G,E) and O ^ ( G , E ) \widehat {\mathcal {O}}(G,E) , to it and prove that they are strongly Morita equivalent to the stable and unstable Ruelle C*-algebras of a Smale space arising from a Wieler solenoid of the self-similar limit space. That these algebras are Spanier-Whitehead dual in K K KK -theory follows from the general result for Ruelle algebras of irreducible Smale spaces proved by Kaminker, Putnam, and the last author.

A geometric representative for the fundamental class in KK-duality of Smale spaces

A fundamental ingredient in the noncommutative geometry program is the notion of KK-duality, often called K-theoretic Poincaré duality, that generalises Spanier-Whitehead duality. In this paper we construct a θ-summable Fredholm module that represents the fundamental class in KK-duality between the stable and unstable Ruelle algebras of a Smale space. To find such a representative, we construct dynamical partitions of unity on the Smale space with highly controlled Lipschitz constants. This requires a generalisation of Bowen's Markov partitions. Along with an aperiodic point-sampling technique we produce a noncommutative analogue of Whitney's embedding theorem, leading to the Fredholm module.

Synchronizing dynamical systems: Their groupoids and 𝐶*-algebras

Building on work of Ruelle and Putnam in the Smale space case, Thomsen defined the homoclinic and heteroclinic C ∗ C^\ast -algebras for an expansive dynamical system. In this paper we define a class of expansive dynamical systems, called synchronizing dynamical systems, that exhibit hyperbolic behavior almost everywhere. Synchronizing dynamical systems generalize Smale spaces (and even finitely presented systems). Yet they still have desirable dynamical properties such as having a dense set of periodic points. We study various C ∗ C^\ast -algebras associated with a synchronizing dynamical system. Among other results, we show that the homoclinic algebra of a synchronizing system contains an ideal which behaves like the homoclinic algebra of a Smale space.

Homology and $K$-theory of dynamical systems II. Smale spaces with totally disconnected transversal

We apply our previous work on the relation between groupoid homology and K -theory to Smale spaces. More precisely, we consider the unstable equivalence relation of a Smale space with totally disconnected stable sets and prove that the associated spectral sequence shows Putnam's stable homology groups on the second sheet. Moreover, this homology is in fact isomorphic to the groupoid homology of the unstable equivalence relation.

Binary factors of shifts of finite type

AbstractWe construct two new classes of topological dynamical systems; one is a factor of a one-sided shift of finite type while the second is a factor of the two-sided shift. The data are a finite graph which presents the shift of finite type, a second finite directed graph and a pair of embeddings of it into the first, satisfying certain conditions. The factor is then obtained from a simple idea based on binary expansion of real numbers. In both cases, we construct natural metrics on the factors and, in the second case, this makes the system a Smale space, in the sense of Ruelle. We compute various algebraic invariants for these systems, including the homology for Smale space developed by the author and the K-theory of various $C^{*}$ -algebras associated to them, in terms of the pair of original graphs.

On finitely summable Fredholm modules from Smale spaces

We prove that all K K -homology classes of the stable (and unstable) Ruelle algebra of a Smale space have explicit Fredholm module representatives that are finitely summable on the same smooth subalgebra and with the same degree of summability. The smooth subalgebra is induced by a metric on the underlying Smale space groupoid and fine transversality relations between stable and unstable sets. The degree of summability is related to the fractal dimension of the Smale space. Further, the Fredholm modules are obtained by taking Kasparov products with a fundamental class of the Spanier-Whitehead K K -duality between the Ruelle algebras. Finally, we obtain general results on stability under holomorphic functional calculus and construct Lipschitz algebras on étale groupoids.

Ahlfors regularity and fractal dimension of Smale spaces

AbstractWe prove that, up to topological conjugacy, every Smale space admits an Ahlfors regular Bowen measure. Bowen’s construction of Markov partitions implies that Smale spaces are factors of topological Markov chains. The latter are equipped with Parry’s measure, which is Ahlfors regular. By extending Bowen’s construction, we create a tool for transferring the Ahlfors regularity of the Parry measure down to the Bowen measure of the Smale space. An essential part of our method uses a refined notion of approximation graphs over compact metric spaces. Moreover, we obtain new estimates for the Hausdorff, box-counting and Assouad dimensions of a large class of Smale spaces.

Locally connected Smale spaces, pinched spectrum, and infra-nilmanifolds

We show that if (X,f) is a locally connected Smale space (e.g., a basic set of an Axiom-A diffeomorphism) such that the local product structure on X can be lifted by a covering with virtually nilpotent group of deck transformations to a global direct product, then (X,f) is topologically conjugate to a hyperbolic infra-nilmanifold automorphism. We use this result to give a generalization to Smale spaces of a theorem of M. Brin and A. Manning on Anosov diffeomorphisms with pinched spectrum, and to show that every locally connected codimension one Smale space is topologically conjugate to a hyperbolic automorphism of a torus.

A note on homology for Smale spaces

We collect three observations on the homology for Smale spaces defined by Putnam. The definition of such homology groups involves four complexes. It is shown here that a simple convergence theorem for spectral sequences can be used to prove that all complexes yield the same homology. Furthermore, we introduce a simplicial framework by which the various complexes can be understood as suitable "symmetric" Moore complexes associated to the simplicial structure. The last section discusses projective resolutions in the context of dynamical systems. It is shown that the projective cover of a Smale space is realized by the system of shift spaces and factor maps onto it.

Self-Similar Inverse Semigroups from Wieler Solenoids

Wieler showed that every irreducible Smale space with totally disconnected local stable sets is an inverse limit system, called a Wieler solenoid. We study self-similar inverse semigroups defined by s-resolving factor maps of Wieler solenoids. We show that the groupoids of germs and the tight groupoids of these inverse semigroups are equivalent to the unstable groupoids of Wieler solenoids. We also show that the C ∗ -algebras of the groupoids of germs have a unique tracial state.

Smale space $C^*$-algebras have nonzero projections

The main result of the present paper is that the stable and unstable C*-algebras associated to a mixing Smale space always contain nonzero projections. This gives a positive answer to a question of the first listed author and Karen Strung and has implications for the structure of these algebras in light of the Elliott program for simple C*-algebras. Using our main result, we also show that the homoclinic, stable, and unstable algebras each have real rank zero.

Group actions on Smale space -algebras

Group actions on a Smale space and the actions induced on the$\text{C}^{\ast }$-algebras associated to such a dynamical system are studied. We show that an effective action of a discrete group on a mixing Smale space produces a strongly outer action on the homoclinic algebra. We then show that for irreducible Smale spaces, the property of finite Rokhlin dimension passes from the induced action on the homoclinic algebra to the induced actions on the stable and unstable$\text{C}^{\ast }$-algebras. In each of these cases, we discuss the preservation of properties (such as finite nuclear dimension,${\mathcal{Z}}$-stability, and classification by Elliott invariants) in the resulting crossed products.

The stable algebra of a Wieler solenoid: inductive limits and -theory

Wieler has shown that every irreducible Smale space with totally disconnected stable sets is a solenoid (i.e., obtained via a stationary inverse limit construction). Using her construction, we show that the associated stable $C^{\ast }$-algebra is the stationary inductive limit of a $C^{\ast }$-stable Fell algebra that has a compact spectrum and trivial Dixmier–Douady invariant. This result applies in particular to Williams solenoids along with other examples. Beyond the structural implications of this inductive limit, one can use this result to, in principle, compute the $K$-theory of the stable $C^{\ast }$-algebra. A specific one-dimensional Smale space (the $aab/ab$-solenoid) is considered as an illustrative running example throughout.

Asymptotic Continuous Orbit Equivalence of Smale Spaces and Ruelle Algebras

AbstractIn the first part of the paper, we introduce notions of asymptotic continuous orbit equivalence and asymptotic conjugacy in Smale spaces and characterize them in terms of their asymptotic Ruelle algebras with their dual actions. In the second part, we introduce a groupoid$C^{\ast }$-algebra that is an extended version of the asymptotic Ruelle algebra from a Smale space and study the extended Ruelle algebras from the view points of Cuntz–Krieger algebras. As a result, the asymptotic Ruelle algebra is realized as a fixed point algebra of the extended Ruelle algebra under certain circle action.

Markov partitions and homology for -solenoids

Given a relatively prime pair of integers, $n\geq m>1$, there is associated a topological dynamical system which we refer to as an $n/m$-solenoid. It is also a Smale space, as defined by David Ruelle, meaning that it has local coordinates of contracting and expanding directions. In this case, these are locally products of the real and various $p$-adic numbers. In the special case, $m=2,n=3$ and for $n>3m$, we construct Markov partitions for such systems. The second author has developed a homology theory for Smale spaces and we compute this in these examples, using the given Markov partitions, for all values of $n\geq m>1$ and relatively prime.

Smale spaces via inverse limits

AbstractA Smale space is a chaotic dynamical system with canonical coordinates of contracting and expanding directions. The basic sets for Smale’s Axiom $A$ systems are a key class of examples. We consider the special case of irreducible Smale spaces with zero-dimensional contracting directions, and characterize these as stationary inverse limits satisfying certain conditions.

Spectral triples for hyperbolic dynamical systems

Spectral triples are defined for C*-algebras associated with hyperbolic dynamical systems known as Smale spaces. The spectral dimension of one of these spectral triples is shown to recover the topological entropy of the Smale space.

Resolving Extensions of Finitely Presented Systems

In this paper we extend certain central results of zero dimensional systems to higher dimensions. The first main result shows that if (Y,f) is a finitely presented system, then there exists a Smale space (X,F) and a u-resolving factor map π +:X→Y. If the finitely presented system is transitive, then we show there is a canonical minimal u-resolving Smale space extension. Additionally, we show that any finite-to-one factor map between transitive finitely presented systems lifts through u-resolving maps to an s-resolving map.

Bowen Measure From Heteroclinic Points

Abstract We present a new construction of the entropy-maximizing, invariant probability measure on a Smale space (the Bowen measure). Our construction is based on points that are unstably equivalent to one given point, and stably equivalent to another, i.e., heteroclinic points. The spirit of the construction is similar to Bowen's construction from periodic points, though the techniques are very different. We also prove results about the growth rate of certain sets of heteroclinic points, and about the stable and unstable components of the Bowen measure. The approach we take is to prove results through direct computation for the case of a Shift of Finite type, and then use resolving factor maps to extend the results to more general Smale spaces.

Ring and module structures on dimension groups associated with a shift of finite type

AbstractWe study invariants for shifts of finite type obtained as the K-theory of various C*-algebras associated with them. These invariants have been studied intensively over the past thirty years since their introduction by Wolfgang Krieger. They may be given quite concrete descriptions as inductive limits of simplicially ordered free abelian groups. Shifts of finite type are special cases of Smale spaces and, in earlier work, the second author has shown that the hyperbolic structure of the dynamics in a Smale space induces natural ring and module structures on certain of these K-groups. Here, we restrict our attention to the special case of shifts of finite type and obtain explicit descriptions in terms of the inductive limits.