Special ergodic theorems and dynamical large deviations

Let f : M → M be a self-map of a compact Riemannian manifold M, admitting a global SRB measure μ. For a continuous test function φ:M→R and a constant α > 0, consider the set Kφ,α of the initial points for which the Birkhoff time averages of the function φ differ from its μ–space average by at least α. As the measure μ is a global SRB one, the set Kφ,α should have zero Lebesgue measure. The special ergodic theorem, whenever it holds, claims that, moreover, this set has a Hausdorff dimension less than the dimension of M. We prove that for Lipschitz maps, the special ergodic theorem follows from the dynamical large deviations principle. We also define and prove analogous result for flows. Applying the theorems of Young and of Araújo and Pacifico, we conclude that the special ergodic theorem holds for transitive hyperbolic attractors of C2-diffeomorphisms, as well as for some other known classes of maps (including the one of partially hyperbolic non-uniformly expanding maps) and flows. (paper)