On the structure of $\alpha$-limit sets of backward trajectories for graph maps

Abstract

In the paper we study what sets can be obtained as $\alpha$-limit sets of backward trajectories in graph maps. We show that in the case of mixing maps, all those $\alpha$-limit sets are $\omega$-limit sets and for all but finitely many points $x$, we can obtain every $\omega$-limits set as the $\alpha$-limit set of a backward trajectory starting in $x$. For zero entropy maps, every $\alpha$-limit set of a backward trajectory is a minimal set. In the case of maps with positive entropy, we obtain a partial characterization which is very close to complete picture of the possible situations.