Poisson Law for returns of Maps on Compact Manifolds

TL;DR

This paper proves that for certain maps on compact manifolds with specific decay of correlations and contraction properties, the distribution of return times to small geometric balls follows a Poisson law, with implications for extreme value theory.

Contribution

It establishes Poisson distribution of return times without tower constructions, using decay of correlations and geometric contraction properties.

Findings

Returns to small balls are Poisson distributed for sufficiently separated times.

Short return times have negligible contribution to the distribution.

Error terms decay polynomially in the logarithm of the radius.

Abstract

We consider invariant measures of maps on manifolds whose correlations decay at a sufficient rate and which satisfy a geometric contraction property. We then prove the that the limiting distribution of returns to geometric balls is Poissonian. This does not assume an tower construction. The decay of correlations is used to show that the independence generated results in the Poisson distribution for returns that are sufficiently separated. A geometric contraction property is then used to show that short return times have a vanishing contribution to the return times distribution. We then also show that the set of very short returns which are of a small linear order of the logarithm of the radius of the balls has a vanishing measure. We obtain error terms which decay polynomially in the logarithm of the radius. We also obtain a extreme value law for such systems.