Dynamical degrees of affine-triangular automorphisms of affine spaces

Abstract

We study the possible dynamical degrees of automorphisms of the affine space ${\mathbb{A}}^n$. In dimension $n=3$, we determine all dynamical degrees arising from the composition of an affine automorphism with a triangular one. This generalises the easier case of shift-like automorphisms which can be studied in any dimension. We also prove that each weak Perron number is the dynamical degree of an affine-triangular automorphism of the affine space ${\mathbb{A}}^n$ for some $n$, and we give the best possible $n$ for quadratic integers, which is either $3$ or $4$.