Geometry and Algebra of the Deltoid Map

Abstract

The geometry of the deltoid curve gives rise to a self-map of $\mathbb{C}^2$ that is expressed in coordinates by $f(x,y) = (y^2 - 2x, x^2 - 2y)$. This is one in a family of maps that generalize Chebyshev polynomials to several variables. We use this example to illustrate two important objects in complex dynamics: the Julia set and the iterated monodromy group.