Dynamics of a family of polynomial automorphisms of $\mathbb{C}^3$, a phase transition

Abstract

The polynomial automorphisms of the affine plane have been studied a lot: if $f$ is such an automorphism, then either $f$ preserves a rational fibration, has an uncountable centralizer and its first dynamical degree equals $1$, or $f$ preserves no rational curves, has a countable centralizer and its first dynamical degree is $>1$. In higher dimensions there is no such description. In this article we study a family $(\Psi_\alpha)_\alpha$ of polynomial automorphisms of $\mathbb{C}^3$. We show that the first dynamical degree of $\Psi_\alpha$ is $>1$, that $\Psi_\alpha$ preserves a unique rational fibration and has an uncountable centralizer. We then describe the dynamics of the family $(\Psi_\alpha)_\alpha$, in particular the speed of points escaping to infinity. We also observe different behaviors according to the value of the parameter $\alpha$.