Real-expansive flows and topological dimension

Abstract

AbstractWe examine generalizations of R. Mañé's results on the topological dimension of spaces supporting an expansive homeomorphism to the case of real-expansive flows. We show that a space supporting a real-expansive flow must be finite dimensional, and a minimal real-expansive flow not exhibiting a type of spiral behaviour must be one-dimensional. This latter class includes all known examples and a slight generalization of Axiom A flows. These results are obtained by introducing a new concept of stable and unstable sets for real flows, and examining real-expansive flows in terms of these sets.