Dynamics of certain smooth one-dimensional mappings IV: Asymptotic geometry of Cantor sets

Abstract

We study hyperbolic mappings depending on a parameter $\varepsilon $. Each of them has an invariant Cantor set. As $\varepsilon $ tends to zero, the mapping approaches the boundary of hyperbolicity. We analyze the asymptotics of the gap geometry and the scaling function geometry of the invariant Cantor set as $\varepsilon $ goes to zero. For example, in the quadratic case, we show that all the gaps close uniformly with speed $\sqrt {\varepsilon}$. There is a limiting scaling function of the limiting mapping and this scaling function has dense jump discontinuities because the limiting mapping is not expanding. Removing these discontinuities by continuous extension, we show that we obtain the scaling function of the limiting mapping with respect to the Ulam-von Neumann type metric.