Prime end rotation numbers of invariant separating contunua of annular homeomorphisms

Abstract

Let $f$ be a homeomorphism of the closed annulus $A$ isotopic to the identity, and let $X\subset {\rm Int}A$ be an $f$-invariant continuum which separates $A$ into two domains, the upper domain $U_+$ and the lower domain $U_-$. Fixing a lift of $f$ to the universal cover of $A$, one defines the rotation set $\tilde \rho(X)$ of $X$ by means of the invariant probabilities on $X$, as well as the prime end rotation number $\check\rho_\pm$ of $U_\pm$. The purpose of this paper is to show that $\check\rho_\pm$ belongs to $\tilde\rho(X)$ for any separating invariant continuum $X$.