On the optimal rate of equidistribution in number fields

Abstract

Let $k$ be a number field. We study how well can finite sets of $\mathcal O_k$ equidistribute modulo powers of prime ideals, for all prime ideals at the same time. Our main result states that the optimal rate of equidistribution in $\mathcal O_k$ predicted by the local contstraints cannot be achieved unless $k=\mathcal Q$. We deduce that $\mathcal Q$ is the only number field where the ring of integers $\mathcal O_k$ admits a simultaneous $\frak p$-ordering, answering a question of Bhargava. Along the way we establish a non-trivial upper bound on the number of solutions $x\in \mathcal O_k$ of the inequality $|N_{k/\mathcal Q}(x(a-x))|\leq X^2$ where $X$ is a positive real parameter and $a\in\mathcal O_k$ is of norm at least $e^{-B}X$ for a fixed real number $B$. The latter can be translated as an upper bound on the average number of solutions of certain unit equations in $\mathcal O_k$.