Fast escaping points of entire functions

Abstract

Let $f$ be a transcendental entire function and let $A(f)$ denote the set of points that escape to infinity `as fast as possible' under iteration. By writing $A(f)$ as a countable union of closed sets, called `levels' of $A(f)$, we obtain a new understanding of the structure of this set. For example, we show that if $U$ is a Fatou component in $A(f)$, then $\partial U\subset A(f)$ and this leads to significant new results and considerable improvements to existing results about $A(f)$. In particular, we study functions for which $A(f)$, and each of its levels, has the structure of an `infinite spider's web'. We show that there are many such functions and that they have a number of strong dynamical properties. This new structure provides an unexpected connection between a conjecture of Baker concerning the components of the Fatou set and a conjecture of Eremenko concerning the components of the escaping set.