A group from a map and orbit equivalence

Abstract

In two papers published in 1979, R. Bowen and C. Series defined a dynamical system from a Fuchsian group, acting on the hyperbolic plane ${\mathbb{H}}^2$. The dynamics is given by a map on $S^1$ which is, in particular, an expanding piecewise homeomorphism of the circle. In this paper we consider a reverse question: which dynamical conditions for an expanding piecewise homeomorphism of $S^1$ are sufficient for the map to be a ``Bowen-Series-type" map (see below) for some group $G$ and which groups can occur? We give a partial answer to these questions.

51 pages, 10 figures