Subshifts of quasi-finite type

We introduce subshifts of quasi-finite type as a generalization of the well-known subshifts of finite type. This generalization is much less rigid and therefore contains the symbolic dynamics of many non-uniform systems, e.g., piecewise monotonic maps of the interval with positive entropy. Yet many properties remain: existence of finitely many ergodic invariant probabilities of maximum entropy; lots of periodic points; meromorphic extension of the Artin-Mazur zeta function.Comment: added examples, more precise estimates on periodic points and classificatio

Puzzles of Quasi-Finite Type, Zeta Functions and Symbolic Dynamics for Multi-Dimensional Maps

We introduce "puzzles of quasi-finite type" which are the counterparts of our subshifts of quasi-finite type (Invent. Math. 159 (2005)) in the setting of combinatorial puzzles as defined in complex dynamics. We are able to analyze these dynamics defined by entropy conditions rather completely, obtaining a complete classification with respect to large entropy measures and a description of their measures with maximum entropy and periodic orbits. These results can in particular be applied to entropy-expanding maps like (x,y)-->(1.8-x^2+sy,1.9-y^2+sx) for small s. We prove in particular the meromorphy of the Artin-Mazur zeta function on a large disk. This follows from a similar new result about strongly positively recurrent Markov shifts where the radius of meromorphy is lower bounded by an "entropy at infinity" of the graph.Comment: accepted by Annales de l'Institut Fourier, final revised versio