Flattening Functions on Flowers

Abstract

Let $T$ be an orientation-preserving Lipschitz expanding map of the circle $\T$. A pre-image selector is a map $\tau:\T\to\T$ with finitely many discontinuities, each of which is a jump discontinuity, and such that $\tau(x)\in T^{-1}(x)$ for all $x\in\T$. The closure of the image of a pre-image selector is called a flower, and a flower with $p$ connected components is called a $p$-flower. We say that a real-valued Lipschitz function can be Lipschitz flattened on a flower whenever it is Lipschitz cohomologous to a constant on that flower. The space of Lipschitz functions which can be flattened on a given $p$-flower is shown to be of codimension $p$ in the space of all Lipschitz functions, and the linear constraints determining this subspace are derived explicitly. If a Lipschitz function $f$ has a maximizing measure $S$ which is Sturmian (i.e. is carried by a 1-flower), it is shown that $f$ can be Lipschitz flattened on some 1-flower carrying $S$.