The Rotation Number of a Generic C^1 Family of Circle Diffeomorphisms is Not Hölder Continuous

Speaker: 

Xuzheng Lang

Institution: 

UCI

Time: 

Tuesday, May 19, 2026 - 1:00pm to 2:00pm

Location: 

RH 340N

Abstract: 

In the study of circle dynamics, the regularity of a map famously dictates its dynamical behavior—a theme dating back to Denjoy's celebrated C^1 vs. C^2 dichotomy. When considering monotone one-parameter families of circle diffeomorphisms, a natural question arises: how does the regularity of the family govern the regularity of the rotation number as a function of the family parameter? It is known that C^2 families yield a Hölder continuous rotation number with exponent at least 1/2 (Graczyk) and C^1 families guarantee at least log-Hölder continuity (Gorodetski & Kleptsyn). But is this the best we can do for generic C^2 families? And for a generic C^1 family, could Hölder continuity somehow survive? What happens with C^{1+\alpha} families? In this talk, we give partial answers to these questions by establishing a modern analogue to Denjoy's dichotomy: we show that for C2 families, the 1/2-Hölder continuity for the rotation number established by Graczyk is generically optimal, whereas for C1 families, Hölder continuity of the rotation number is generically lost entirely. We also comment on the behavior of families coming from a certain dense subset of the C^{1+\alpha} families. 

A Survery on Recent Methods in Dynamical Rigidity

Speaker: 

Dr. Alexandro Luna

Institution: 

UCI

Time: 

Tuesday, June 2, 2026 - 1:00pm to 2:00pm

Location: 

RH 340N

Abstract: We discuss the so-called “matching functions” technique, recently formulated by Gogolev and Rodriguez-Hertz to prove rigidity results for expanding maps, codimension one Anosov diffeomorphisms, and codimension Anosov flows. We compare this to the classical method of “matching measures” first introduced by de la Llave, to prove rigidity results for surface Anosov diffeomorphisms with matching periodic data. 

Sums and intersections of Cantor sets — and some applications of the theory

Speaker: 

Victor Kleptsyn

Institution: 

CNRS, University of Rennes 1, France

Time: 

Tuesday, April 28, 2026 - 1:00pm to 2:00pm

Host: 

Location: 

RH 340N

Abstract: This is a general introductory talk to the theory of sums and (stable) intersections of Cantor sets: the notion of thickness, Newhouse gap lemma, and a subset of Hall's ray in Lagrange/Markov spectra as an application to the number theory.

C^1-version of the Denjoy example that is affine on the wandering intervals

Speaker: 

Victor Kleptsyn

Institution: 

CNRS, University of Rennes 1, France

Time: 

Tuesday, April 21, 2026 - 1:00pm to 2:00pm

Host: 

Location: 

RH 340N

The talk will be devoted to the construction of a C^1-version of the Denjoy example that is still exactly affine on the intervals of the complement to the minimal set. This is our recent work with Andrés Navas.

Spectral Gaps of Non-Stationary Random Matrix Products

Speaker: 

Karl Zieber

Institution: 

UCI

Time: 

Tuesday, April 14, 2026 - 1:00pm to 2:00pm

Location: 

RH 340N

In classical (i.e., IID) random matrix dynamics, a question that arises frequently is whether the Lyapunov spectrum is "simple." There are several criteria that imply the existence of a maximal number of distinct Lyapunov exponents for random matrix products and these have been used in various applications. Recently, there have been papers extending this classical theory to specific classes of non-stationary matrix products. In this talk, we will discuss two recent papers ([arXiv:2312.03181] and [arXiv.2507.04058]) which establish gaps between non-stationary analogs of Lyapunov exponents. Strategies and key ideas will be presented, with a brief discussion about applications to Anderson localization.

Uniformly positive Lyapunov exponents with monotone potentials along local unstable leaves

Speaker: 

Nicholas Chiem

Institution: 

UC Riverside

Time: 

Tuesday, May 26, 2026 - 1:00pm to 2:00pm

Host: 

Location: 

RH 340N

Abstract: Anderson localization is a physical phenomenon that was observed by Phillip Anderson. One definition of localization is when the spectrum of the Schrödinger operator has pure point spectrum with exponentially decaying eigenfunctions. The Lyapunov exponent plays a central role in studying the phenomenon, as uniformly positive Lyapunov exponents paired with a large deviation estimate has been a large indication of localization. Our focus is when one can prove uniform positivity, as Kotani theory would imply that the family of Schrödinger operators has an empty absolutely continuous spectrum. In our talk, we discuss the setting and the methods used to show uniformly positive Lyapunov exponents for lower Hölder potentials along local unstable leaves when generated by hyperbolic dynamics with at least one expanding direction.

Flexibility of slow entropy

Speaker: 

Philipp Kunde

Institution: 

Oregon State University

Time: 

Tuesday, May 5, 2026 - 1:00pm to 2:00pm

Host: 

Location: 

RH 340N

Abstract: Measure-theoretical and topological entropy play a central role in structural questions for dynamical systems and serve as crucial tools in detecting chaoticity of a system. However, entropy is positive if and only if the system has exponential growth of distinguishable orbit types and it does not provide any information for systems with slower orbit growth. To measure the complexity of systems with subexponential orbit growth several different invariants have been studied. For instance, Anatole Katok and Jean-Paul Thouvenot introduced the concept of slow entropy. In this talk we discuss flexibility results on the values of measure-theoretical slow entropy for rigid transformations and finite-rank systems.

Localization of the Anderson Model on the Strip

Speaker: 

Karl Zieber

Institution: 

UCI

Time: 

Tuesday, February 17, 2026 - 1:00pm to 2:00pm

Location: 

RH 340N

Abstract: The Anderson model has been a key tool in the study of disordered alloys and their transport properties. In the one-dimensional discrete model, it is known that any amount of randomness leads to "localization," or a lack of electron transport. Comprehensive results in higher dimensions have been elusive in part due to the loss of one-dimensional tools. As a transitional step to higher dimensions, we consider the quasi-one-dimensional Anderson model on the strip. In this talk, we will discuss existing work to prove spectral localization (with exponentially decaying eigenfunctions) for this class of Anderson model. We will also explore how to extend localization results for IID potentials to potentials that are independent but non-stationary.

Continuity Properties for Sturmian Subshifts

Speaker: 

Yannik Thomas

Institution: 

Universität Potsdam

Time: 

Tuesday, March 3, 2026 - 1:00pm to 2:00pm

Host: 

Location: 

RH 340N

Abstract:

Motivated by the spectral analysis of Sturmian Hamiltonians, we investigate their underlying dynamical systems. This class of subshifts admits a natural extension to a larger family parameterized by the unit interval. In this talk, we study continuity properties of this parametrization with respect to the Hausdorff distance. Starting from the well known fact that these discontinuities arise at rational parameters only, we will pass to a non-Euclidean metric in order to characterize limits at rational parameters. If time permits we briefly discuss immediate implications for Sturmian Hamiltonians.

This talk is based on a joint work with Siegfried Beckus and Jean Bellissard.

Pattern-forming fronts in the FitzHugh–Nagumo system

Speaker: 

Paul Carter

Institution: 

UCI

Time: 

Tuesday, February 10, 2026 - 1:00pm to 2:00pm

Location: 

RH 340N

Abstract: When a spatially homogeneous state destabilizes, localized perturbations can grow into large amplitude spatial patterns, which spread into the bulk, invading the unstable state. The nature and properties of the patterns which appear, such as wavelength, orientation, and amplitude, are frequently determined by the behavior in the leading edge of the spreading process. We consider such pattern-forming fronts in the FitzHugh–Nagumo PDE in the so-called oscillatory regime. The pattern is selected from a family of periodic traveling wave train solutions by an invasion front. Using geometric singular perturbation techniques, we construct “pushed” and “pulled” pattern-forming fronts as heteroclinic orbits between the unstable steady state and a periodic orbit representing the wave train in the wake. In the case of pushed fronts, the wave train necessarily passes near a pair of nonhyperbolic fold points on the associated critical manifold. We also discuss implications for the stability of the pattern-forming fronts and the challenges introduced by the fold points in the corresponding spectral stability problem.

 

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