If the holomorphic map $f:\mathbb{C}\to\mathbb{C}$ has a fixed point $p$, and the derivative $\lambda := f'(p)$ equals $e^{2\pi i \theta}$ (with irrational $\theta$), one can ask if $f$ is conjugate to $z\mapsto\lambda\cdot z$ in a neighborhood of $p$. If it exists, the largest domain of conjugacy is called a 'Siegel disk'. Two properties to keep in mind are:
- A Siegel disk cannot contain a critical point in its interior (boundary is ok).
- The boundary of a Siegel disk belongs to the Julia set of $f$.
Quadratic maps can have Siegel disks, but not for just any $\theta$; the number theoretical properties of this 'rotation number' are relevant. However, if $\theta$ is Diophantine, the boundary of the disk is well behaved (Jordan curve, quasi-circle...)
... But the boundary of a Siegel disk can also be wild; for instance, it can be non-locally connected. The outrageous conjecture that has been floating around is that:
- There is a quadratic polynomial with a Siegel disk whose boundary equals the Julia set.
Since a quadratic Julia set is symmetric with respect to the critical point, a quadratic Siegel disk would have a symmetric preimage whose boundary also equals the Julia set, but the unbounded component of the complement (Fatou set) also has boundary equal to the Julia set, so our conjectured Siegel disk would form part of a 'lakes of Wada' configuration.