Criterion of Absolute Focusing for Focusing Component of Billiards

    2009, Volume 14, Number 1, pp.  42-48

    Author(s): Bunimovich L. A.

    We show that a focusing component $\Gamma$ of the boundary of a billiard table is absolutely focusing iff a sequence of convergents of a continued fraction corresponding to any series of consecutive reflections off $\Gamma$ is monotonic. That is, if $\Gamma$ is absolutely focusing this implies monotonicity of curvatures of the wave fronts in the series of reflections off $\Gamma$ and therefore explains why and how the absolutely focusing components may generate hyperbolicity of billiards.
    Keywords: billiards, continued fractions, dispersing, focusing, defocusing, absolute focusing
    Citation: Bunimovich L. A., Criterion of Absolute Focusing for Focusing Component of Billiards, Regular and Chaotic Dynamics, 2009, Volume 14, Number 1, pp. 42-48



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