Dynamics of Foliations, Groups and Pseudogroups [Hardcover]

This book deals with the dynamics of general systems such as foliations, groups and pseudogroups, systems which are closely related via the notion of holonomy. It concentrates on notions and results related to different ways of measuring complexity of systems under consideration. More precisely, it deals with different types of growth, entropies and dimensions of limiting objects. Problems related to the topics covered are provided throughout the book.

Foliations, groups and pseudogroups are objects which are closely related via the notion of holonomy. In the 1980s they became considered as general dynamical systems. This book deals with their dynamics. Since dynamics is a very extensive term, we focus on some of its aspects only. Roughly speaking, we concentrate on notions and results related to different ways of measuring complexity of the systems under consideration. More precisely, we deal with different types of growth, entropies and dimensions of limiting objects. Invented in the 1980s (by E. Ghys, R. Langevin and the author) geometric entropy of a foliation is the principal object of interest among all of them.

Throughout the book, the reader will find a good number of inspirating problems related to the topics covered.

1 Dynamical systems.- 1.1 Pseudogroups.- 1.2 First examples.- 1.3 Foliations, laminations and holonomy.- 1.4 Markov pseudogroups.- 1.5 Hyperbolic spaces and groups.- 2 Growth.- 2.1 Growth types.- 2.2 Growth in groups.- 2.3 Orbit growth for pseudogroups.- 2.4 Expansion growth.- 3 Entropy.- 3.1 Entropy of classical systems.- 3.1.1 Topological entropy of a transformation.- 3.1.2 Invariant measures.- 3.1.3 Measure-theoretic entropy.- 3.1.4 Examples.- 3.1.5 Variational principle.- 3.2 Entropy of pseudogroups.- 3.3 Geometric entropy of foliations.- 3.4 Relating various entropies.- 3.5 Examples and constructions.- 3.5.1 Pullback.- 3.5.2 Gluing.- 3.5.3 Turbulizat ion.- 3.6 Entropy and resiliencylól