Dilatation structures II. Linearity, self-similarity and the Cantor set

Abstract

In this paper we continue the study of dilatation structures, introduced in math.MG/0608536 . A dilatation structure on a metric space is a kind of enhanced self-similarity. By way of examples this is explained here with the help of the middle-thirds Cantor set. Linear and self-similar dilatation structures are introduced and studied on ultrametric spaces, especially on the boundary of the dyadic tree (same as the middle-thirds Cantor set). Some other examples of dilatation structures, which share some common features, are given. Another class of examples, coming from sub-Riemannian geometry, will make the subject of an article in preparation. In the particular case of ultrametric spaces the axioms of dilatation structures take a simplified form, leading to a description of all possible weak dilatation structures on the Cantor set. As an application we prove that there is more than one linear and self-similar dilatation structure on the Cantor set, compatible with the iterated functions system which defines the Cantor set. Applications to self-similar groups are reserved for a further paper.