Characterisation of Stability for Interval Translation Maps
Pith reviewed 2026-05-09 19:52 UTC · model grok-4.3
The pith
Stability for general interval translation maps is characterized by the absence of critical connections together with matching.
A machine-rendered reading of the paper's core claim, the machinery that carries it, and where it could break.
Core claim
An interval translation map is a piecewise translation defined on a finite partition of an interval, without the requirement that the images remain disjoint. We formulate an appropriate notion of stability for these general, non-bijective maps and prove a characterisation of stability in terms of two dynamically natural properties called the Absence of Critical Connections and Matching. This result can be viewed as the foundational step towards the stability theory of general ITMs.
What carries the argument
The stability notion for interval translation maps, proved equivalent to the simultaneous absence of critical connections and the presence of matching.
If this is right
- Stability of any concrete ITM can be checked by verifying only the two listed properties.
- The same conditions supply a route to extend existing stability results from bijective interval exchanges to the larger class of ITMs.
- Small perturbations of a stable ITM remain topologically conjugate to the original map.
- The characterisation separates the combinatorial data of the partition from the translation lengths in a way that makes robustness testable.
Where Pith is reading between the lines
- The same two conditions may serve as a template for defining stability in other families of piecewise maps that permit overlaps.
- Numerical algorithms could be built to detect critical connections by tracking orbits of the partition endpoints.
- If matching holds, the non-invertible branches still produce a well-defined itinerary structure that survives perturbation.
Load-bearing premise
That the newly introduced definition of stability is the dynamically natural and appropriate one for maps that are not required to be bijective.
What would settle it
An explicit interval translation map that satisfies absence of critical connections and matching yet fails to be stable under the paper's definition, or the converse.
Figures
read the original abstract
An interval translation map (ITM) is a piece-wise translation $T \colon I \to I$ defined on a finite partition $I_1, \ldots, I_r$ of an interval $I$ into $r \ge 2$ subintervals. In contrast to classical interval exchange transformations (IETs), we do not require that the images of these subintervals are disjoint; in particular, ITMs are not assumed to be bijective. Thus, ITMs provide a natural non-invertible generalisation of IETs. In this paper, we formulate an appropriate notion of stability for general interval translation mappings and prove a characterisation of stability in terms of two dynamically natural properties called the Absence of Critical Connections and Matching. This result can be viewed as the foundational step towards the stability theory of general ITMs.
Editorial analysis
A structured set of objections, weighed in public.
Referee Report
Summary. The paper defines interval translation maps (ITMs) as piecewise translations on a finite partition of an interval, without requiring bijectivity (in contrast to interval exchange transformations). It introduces a notion of stability for general ITMs and proves that this stability is equivalent to the conjunction of two properties: the absence of critical connections and matching. The result is positioned as a foundational step toward a stability theory for non-invertible ITMs.
Significance. If the equivalence holds, the work is significant as it supplies a dynamically natural characterization that extends stability concepts from invertible IETs to the broader class of ITMs. The self-contained definitions and proof structure provide a concrete basis for further results on orbit structure and robustness in non-bijective interval maps.
minor comments (2)
- [Abstract] The abstract states the main result but does not reference the theorem number or give a one-sentence version of the precise equivalence; adding this would help readers locate the claim immediately.
- [Introduction] Notation for the partition intervals I_1, …, I_r and the translation lengths is introduced without an explicit diagram or example in the opening sections; a small illustrative figure would clarify the non-bijective case for readers new to ITMs.
Simulated Author's Rebuttal
We thank the referee for their positive summary of the manuscript, recognition of its significance as a foundational step in the stability theory for non-invertible ITMs, and recommendation of minor revision. No major comments were listed in the report, so we have no specific points requiring rebuttal or clarification at this stage. We are happy to incorporate any minor changes once they are specified.
Circularity Check
No significant circularity; definition plus equivalence theorem is self-contained
full rationale
The paper introduces a new definition of stability for non-bijective ITMs and proves this definition is equivalent to the conjunction of two other dynamically defined properties (Absence of Critical Connections and Matching). This is a standard characterisation theorem whose proof is developed from the internal orbit structure of ITMs; it does not reduce any claimed result to a fitted parameter, a self-referential definition, or a load-bearing self-citation. The abstract and described structure supply all necessary definitions and lemmas without external uniqueness theorems or ansatzes imported from prior work by the same authors. A score of 0 is therefore appropriate; the only softness lies in whether the chosen stability notion is the most natural one, which is a modelling choice rather than a circularity issue.
Axiom & Free-Parameter Ledger
axioms (1)
- standard math Standard definitions and basic properties of piecewise continuous interval maps and dynamical systems
Reference graph
Works this paper leans on
-
[1]
Non-ergodic interval exchange transformations , url =
Keane, Michael , doi =. Non-ergodic interval exchange transformations , url =. Israel J. Math. , mrclass =. 1977 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 1977
- [2]
-
[3]
Topological Prevalence of Finite Type Interval Translation Maps , author=. 2026 , eprint=
work page 2026
-
[4]
Transversality for Interval Translation Maps , author=. 2026 , eprint=
work page 2026
-
[5]
Artigiani, Mauro and Hubert, Pascal and Skripchenko, Alexandra , TITLE =. Discrete Contin. Dyn. Syst. , FJOURNAL =. 2026 , PAGES =. doi:10.3934/dcds.2025127 , URL =
-
[6]
Kontsevich, Maxim and Zorich, Anton , TITLE =. Invent. Math. , FJOURNAL =. 2003 , NUMBER =. doi:10.1007/s00222-003-0303-x , URL =
-
[7]
Bruin, Henk and Carminati, Carlo and Marmi, Stefano and Profeti, Alessandro , TITLE =. Nonlinearity , FJOURNAL =. 2019 , NUMBER =. doi:10.1088/1361-6544/aae935 , URL =
-
[8]
Keane, Michael S. and Rauzy, G\'erard , TITLE =. Math. Z. , FJOURNAL =. 1980 , NUMBER =. doi:10.1007/BF01161409 , URL =
-
[9]
Liousse, Isabelle , TITLE =. Bull. Soc. Math. France , FJOURNAL =. 1995 , NUMBER =
work page 1995
-
[10]
Peixoto, M. M. , TITLE =. Ann. of Math. (2) , FJOURNAL =. 1959 , PAGES =. doi:10.2307/1970100 , URL =
-
[11]
Takens, Floris , TITLE =. Invent. Math. , FJOURNAL =. 1972 , PAGES =. doi:10.1007/BF01389816 , URL =
-
[12]
Newhouse, Sheldon E. , TITLE =. Amer. J. Math. , FJOURNAL =. 1977 , NUMBER =. doi:10.2307/2374000 , URL =
-
[13]
Jain, Sakshi and Liverani, Carlangelo , TITLE =. Ergodic Theory Dynam. Systems , FJOURNAL =. 2025 , NUMBER =. doi:10.1017/etds.2024.78 , URL =
-
[14]
Pugh, Charles C. , TITLE =. Amer. J. Math. , FJOURNAL =. 1967 , PAGES =. doi:10.2307/2373413 , URL =
-
[15]
Newhouse, Sheldon E. , TITLE =. Topology , FJOURNAL =. 1974 , PAGES =. doi:10.1016/0040-9383(74)90034-2 , URL =
-
[16]
Robbin, J. W. , TITLE =. Ann. of Math. (2) , FJOURNAL =. 1971 , PAGES =. doi:10.2307/1970766 , URL =
-
[17]
Robinson, Clark , TITLE =. J. Differential Equations , FJOURNAL =. 1976 , NUMBER =. doi:10.1016/0022-0396(76)90004-8 , URL =
-
[18]
Ma\ n\'e, Ricardo , TITLE =. Inst. Hautes \'Etudes Sci. Publ. Math. , FJOURNAL =. 1988 , PAGES =
work page 1988
-
[19]
Avila, Artur and Forni, Giovanni , TITLE =. Ann. of Math. (2) , FJOURNAL =. 2007 , NUMBER =. doi:10.4007/annals.2007.165.637 , URL =
-
[20]
Typical Weak Mixing and Exceptional Spectral Properties for Interval Translation Mappings , author=. 2026 , eprint=
work page 2026
-
[21]
Berger, Pierre , TITLE =. Dynamical systems , SERIES =. 2018 , ISBN =
work page 2018
-
[22]
Peixoto, M. M. , TITLE =. Topology , FJOURNAL =. 1962 , PAGES =. doi:10.1016/0040-9383(65)90018-2 , URL =
-
[23]
Bruin, Henk and Carminati, Carlo and Kalle, Charlene , TITLE =. Indag. Math. (N.S.) , FJOURNAL =. 2017 , NUMBER =. doi:10.1016/j.indag.2016.11.005 , URL =
-
[24]
Nakada, Hitoshi and Natsui, Rie , TITLE =. Nonlinearity , FJOURNAL =. 2008 , NUMBER =. doi:10.1088/0951-7715/21/6/003 , URL =
-
[25]
Kozlovski, Oleg and Shen, Weixiao and van Strien, Sebastian , TITLE =. Ann. of Math. (2) , FJOURNAL =. 2007 , NUMBER =. doi:10.4007/annals.2007.166.145 , URL =
-
[26]
Kozlovski, Oleg and Shen, Weixiao and van Strien, Sebastian , TITLE =. Ann. of Math. (2) , FJOURNAL =. 2007 , NUMBER =. doi:10.4007/annals.2007.165.749 , URL =
-
[27]
McMullen, Curtis T. and Sullivan, Dennis P. , TITLE =. Adv. Math. , FJOURNAL =. 1998 , NUMBER =. doi:10.1006/aima.1998.1726 , URL =
-
[28]
Interval translation mappings , year =
Schmeling, J\"org and Troubetzkoy, Serge , booktitle =. Interval translation mappings , year =
-
[29]
Veech, William A. , doi =. Interval exchange transformations , url =. J. Analyse Math. , mrclass =. 1978 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 1978
-
[30]
Katok, Anatole B. , fjournal =. Invariant measures of flows on orientable surfaces , volume =. Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR , mrclass =
-
[31]
de Melo, Welington and van Strien, Sebastian , TITLE =. 1993 , PAGES =. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-78043-1 , URL =
-
[32]
Ergodic theory of interval exchange maps , url =
Viana, Marcelo , doi =. Ergodic theory of interval exchange maps , url =. Rev. Mat. Complut. , mrclass =. 2006 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 2006
-
[33]
Interval exchange transformations , url =
Keane, Michael , doi =. Interval exchange transformations , url =. Math. Z. , mrclass =. 1975 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 1975
-
[34]
Interval exchange maps and translation surfaces , volume =
Yoccoz, Jean-Christophe , booktitle =. Interval exchange maps and translation surfaces , volume =
-
[35]
Catsis, Salvador and Hall, Cameron L. and Jeffrey, Mike R. , doi =. The hidden sensitivity of non-smooth dynamics , url =. Phys. D , mrclass =. 2024 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 2024
-
[36]
String attractors of fixed points of k-Bonacci-like morphisms
Ferenczi, S\'ebastien and Hubert, Pascal and Zamboni, Luca Q. , booktitle =. Order conditions for languages , url =. [2023] 2023 , Bdsk-Url-1 =. doi:10.1007/978-3-031-33180-0\_12 , isbn =
-
[37]
arXiv preprint arXiv:2412.07928 , year=
Renormalization for Bruin-Troubetzkoy ITMs , author=. arXiv preprint arXiv:2412.07928 , year=
-
[38]
arXiv preprint arXiv:2312.10533 , year=
Interval Translation Maps with Weakly Mixing Attractors , author=. arXiv preprint arXiv:2312.10533 , year=
-
[39]
A note on double rotations of infinite type , url =
Artigiani, Mauro and Fougeron, Charles and Hubert, Pascal and Skripchenko, Alexandra , doi =. A note on double rotations of infinite type , url =. Trans. Moscow Math. Soc. , mrclass =. 2021 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 2021
-
[40]
Invariant measures for interval translations and some other piecewise continuous maps , url =
Kryzhevich, Sergey , doi =. Invariant measures for interval translations and some other piecewise continuous maps , url =. Math. Model. Nat. Phenom. , mrclass =. 2020 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 2020
-
[41]
Characterization of minimal sequences associated with self-similar interval exchange maps , url =
Cobo, Milton and Guti\'errez-Romo, Rodolfo and Maass, Alejandro , doi =. Characterization of minimal sequences associated with self-similar interval exchange maps , url =. Nonlinearity , mrclass =. 2018 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 2018
-
[42]
Geometric representation of the infimax
Boyland, Philip and Severa, William , doi =. Geometric representation of the infimax. Fund. Math. , mrclass =. 2018 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 2018
-
[43]
Minimality of interval exchange transformations with restrictions , url =
Dynnikov, Ivan and Skripchenko, Alexandra , doi =. Minimality of interval exchange transformations with restrictions , url =. J. Mod. Dyn. , mrclass =. 2017 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 2017
-
[44]
Bressaud, Xavier and Fournier, Marie-Claire , doi =. Casse-briques , url =. Exp. Math. , mrclass =. 2016 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 2016
-
[45]
Ergodic currents dual to a real tree , url =
Coulbois, Thierry and Hilion, Arnaud , doi =. Ergodic currents dual to a real tree , url =. Ergodic Theory Dynam. Systems , mrclass =. 2016 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 2016
-
[46]
Polygonal billiards with one sided scattering , url =
Skripchenko, Alexandra and Troubetzkoy, Serge , doi =. Polygonal billiards with one sided scattering , url =. Ann. Inst. Fourier (Grenoble) , mrclass =. 2015 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 2015
-
[47]
Buzzi, J\'er\^ome and Hubert, Pascal , TITLE =. Ergodic Theory Dynam. Systems , FJOURNAL =. 2004 , NUMBER =. doi:10.1017/S0143385703000488 , URL =
-
[48]
Buzzi, J\'er\^ome , TITLE =. Ergodic Theory Dynam. Systems , FJOURNAL =. 2001 , NUMBER =. doi:10.1017/S0143385701001651 , URL =
-
[49]
Entropy and complexity of polygonal billiards with spy mirrors , url =
Skripchenko, Alexandra and Troubetzkoy, Serge , doi =. Entropy and complexity of polygonal billiards with spy mirrors , url =. Nonlinearity , mrclass =. 2015 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 2015
-
[50]
Jullian, Yann , doi =. An algorithm to identify automorphisms which arise from self-induced interval exchange transformations , url =. Math. Z. , mrclass =. 2013 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 2013
-
[51]
Boshernitzan, Michael and Chaika, Jon , doi =. Diophantine properties of. Invent. Math. , mrclass =. 2013 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 2013
-
[52]
On connectedness of chaotic sections of some 3-periodic surfaces , url =
Skripchenko, Alexandra , doi =. On connectedness of chaotic sections of some 3-periodic surfaces , url =. Ann. Global Anal. Geom. , mrclass =. 2013 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 2013
-
[53]
Interval exchange transformation extension of a substitution dynamical system , url =
Bressaud, Xavier and Jullian, Yann , doi =. Interval exchange transformation extension of a substitution dynamical system , url =. Confluentes Math. , mrclass =. 2012 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 2012
-
[54]
Inducing and unique ergodicity of double rotations , url =
Bruin, Henk and Clack, Gregory , doi =. Inducing and unique ergodicity of double rotations , url =. Discrete Contin. Dyn. Syst. , mrclass =. 2012 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 2012
-
[55]
Symmetric interval identification systems of order three , url =
Skripchenko, Alexandra , doi =. Symmetric interval identification systems of order three , url =. Discrete Contin. Dyn. Syst. , mrclass =. 2012 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 2012
-
[56]
Construction du c ur compact d'un arbre r\'eel par substitution d'arbre , url =
Jullian, Yann , doi =. Construction du c ur compact d'un arbre r\'eel par substitution d'arbre , url =. Ann. Inst. Fourier (Grenoble) , mrclass =. 2011 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 2011
-
[57]
Cone exchange transformations and boundedness of orbits , url =
Ashwin, Peter and Goetz, Arek , doi =. Cone exchange transformations and boundedness of orbits , url =. Ergodic Theory Dynam. Systems , mrclass =. 2010 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 2010
-
[58]
Fractal trees for irreducible automorphisms of free groups , url =
Coulbois, Thierry , doi =. Fractal trees for irreducible automorphisms of free groups , url =. J. Mod. Dyn. , mrclass =. 2010 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 2010
-
[59]
Tepl\= ns ki i, O. Yu. , doi =. Limit absorbing belt for a quasiperiodically driven interval shift map , url =. Ukra\"in. Mat. Zh. , mrclass =. 2009 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 2009
-
[60]
On global attractors for a class of nonhyperbolic piecewise affine maps , url =
Fu, Xin-Chu and Duan, Jinqiao , doi =. On global attractors for a class of nonhyperbolic piecewise affine maps , url =. Phys. D , mrclass =. 2008 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 2008
-
[61]
Renormalization in a class of interval translation maps of
Bruin, Henk , doi =. Renormalization in a class of interval translation maps of. Dyn. Syst. , mrclass =. 2007 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 2007
-
[62]
Invariant curves and explosion of periodic islands in systems of piecewise rotations , url =
Ashwin, Peter and Goetz, Arek , doi =. Invariant curves and explosion of periodic islands in systems of piecewise rotations , url =. SIAM J. Appl. Dyn. Syst. , mrclass =. 2005 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 2005
-
[63]
Boldrighini, Carlo and Keane, Michael and Marchetti, Federico , fjournal =. Billiards in polygons , url =. Ann. Probab. , mrclass =. 1978 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 1978
-
[64]
Kornfeld, Isaac P. and Fomin, Sergei V. and Sinai, Yakov G. , doi =. Ergodic theory , url =. 1982 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 1982
-
[65]
Ergodic theory and differentiable dynamics , url =
Ma\ n\'e, Ricardo , doi =. Ergodic theory and differentiable dynamics , url =. 1987 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 1987
-
[66]
Zemljakov, Alexander N. and Katok, Anatole B. , fjournal =. Topological transitivity of billiards in polygons , volume =. Mat. Zametki , mrclass =
-
[67]
Suzuki, Hideyuki and Ito, Shunji and Aihara, Kazuyuki , doi =. Double rotations , url =. Discrete Contin. Dyn. Syst. , mrclass =. 2005 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 2005
-
[68]
Bruin, Henk and Troubetzkoy, Serge , doi =. The. Israel J. Math. , mrclass =. 2003 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 2003
-
[69]
Quasi-invariant attractors of piecewise isometric systems , url =
Mendes, Miguel \^Angelo de Sousa , doi =. Quasi-invariant attractors of piecewise isometric systems , url =. Discrete Contin. Dyn. Syst. , mrclass =. 2003 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 2003
-
[70]
A polynomial bound for the lap number , url =
Baillif, Mathieu , doi =. A polynomial bound for the lap number , url =. Qual. Theory Dyn. Syst. , mrclass =. 2002 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 2002
-
[71]
On the geometry of orientation-preserving planar piecewise isometries , url =
Ashwin, Peter and Fu, Xin-Chu , doi =. On the geometry of orientation-preserving planar piecewise isometries , url =. J. Nonlinear Sci. , mrclass =. 2002 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 2002
-
[72]
Holton, Charles G. and Zamboni, Luca Q. , doi =. Directed graphs and substitutions , url =. Theory Comput. Syst. , mrclass =. 2001 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 2001
-
[73]
Geometric representation of substitutions of
Canterini, Vincent and Siegel, Anne , doi =. Geometric representation of substitutions of. Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. , mrclass =. 2001 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 2001
-
[74]
Piecewise isometries---an emerging area of dynamical systems , year =
Goetz, Arek , booktitle =. Piecewise isometries---an emerging area of dynamical systems , year =
-
[75]
Dynamics of piecewise isometries , url =
Goetz, Arek , fjournal =. Dynamics of piecewise isometries , url =. Illinois J. Math. , mrclass =. 2000 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 2000
-
[76]
Invariant sets for discontinuous parabolic area-preserving torus maps , url =
Ashwin, Peter and Fu, Xin-Chu and Nishikawa, Takashi and \.Zyczkowski, Karol , doi =. Invariant sets for discontinuous parabolic area-preserving torus maps , url =. Nonlinearity , mrclass =. 2000 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 2000
-
[77]
Sofic subshifts and piecewise isometric systems , url =
Goetz, Arek , doi =. Sofic subshifts and piecewise isometric systems , url =. Ergodic Theory Dynam. Systems , mrclass =. 1999 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 1999
-
[78]
Holton, Charles and Zamboni, Luca Q. , fjournal =. Substitutions, partial isometries of. Bull. Belg. Math. Soc. Simon Stevin , mrclass =. 1999 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 1999
-
[79]
Holton, Charles and Zamboni, Luca Q. , fjournal =. Geometric realizations of substitutions , url =. Bull. Soc. Math. France , mrclass =. 1998 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 1998
-
[80]
La dynamique des pseudogroupes de rotations , url =
Levitt, Gilbert , doi =. La dynamique des pseudogroupes de rotations , url =. Invent. Math. , mrclass =. 1993 , Bdsk-Url-1 =
work page 1993
discussion (0)
Sign in with ORCID, Apple, or X to comment. Anyone can read and Pith papers without signing in.