Maximal pseudometrics and distortion of circle diffeomorphisms

Abstract

We initiate a study of distortion elements in the Polish groups $\mbox{Diff}_+^k(\mathbb{S}^1)$ ($1\le k<\infty$), as well as $\mbox{Diff}_+^{1+AC}(\mathbb{S}^1)$, in terms of maximal metrics on these groups. We classify distortion in the $k=1$ case: a $C^1$ circle diffeomorphism is $C^1$-undistorted if and only if it has a hyperbolic periodic point. On the other hand, answering a question of Navas, we exhibit analytic circle diffeomorphisms with only non-hyperbolic fixed points which are $C^{1+AC}$-undistorted, and hence $C^k$-undistorted for all $k\ge 2$. In the appendix, we exhibit a maximal metric on $\mbox{Diff}_+^{1+AC}(\mathbb{S}^1)$, and observe that this group is quasi-isometric to a hyperplane of $L^1(I)$.

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