Statistical properties of unimodal maps: smooth families with negative Schwarzian derivative

Abstract

We prove that there is a residual set of families of smooth or analytic unimodal maps with quadratic critical point and negative Schwarzian derivative such that almost every non-regular parameter is Collet-Eckmann with subexponential recurrence of the critical orbit. Those conditions lead to a detailed and robust statistical description of the dynamics. This proves the Palis conjecture in this setting.

33 pages, no figures, third version, to appear in Astérisque