Dynamics of Siegel Rational Maps with Prescribed Combinatorics

Abstract

We extend Thurston's combinatorial criterion for postcritically finite rational maps to a class of rational maps with bounded type Siegel disks. The combinatorial characterization of this class of Siegel rational maps plays a special role in the study of general Siegel rational maps. As one of the applications, we prove that for any quadratic rational map with a bounded type Siegel disk, the boundary of the Siegel disk is a quasi-circle which passes through one or both of the critical points.