We study generalized recurrence for closed relations on locally compact spaces. This includes continuous maps and real flows. The main tools are Lyapunov functions and their compactifications. Under certain conditions it is shown that the Lyapunov functions determine the topology of the space.
We discuss the remaining obstacles to prove Smale's conjecture about the C¹-density of hyperbolicity among surface diffeomorphisms. Using a C¹-generic approach, we classify the possible pathologies that may obstruct the C¹-density of hyperbolicity. We show that there are essentially two types of obstruction: (i) persistence of infinitely many hyperbolic homoclinic classes and (ii) existence of a single homoclinic class which robustly exhibits homoclinic tangencies. In the course of our discussion,...