arXiv subjects

Bryna Kra

Publications and source records attributed to Bryna Kra.

46 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2009

Nilsequences and a structure theorem for topological dynamical systems

We characterize inverse limits of nilsystems in topological dynamics, via a structure theorem for topological dynamical systems that is an analog of the structure theorem for measure preserving systems. We provide two applications of the structure. The first is to nilsequences, which have played an important role in recent developments in ergodic theory and additive combinatorics; we give a characterization that detects if a given sequence is a nilsequence by only testing properties locally, meaning on finite intervals. The second application is the construction of the maximal nilfactor of any order in a distal minimal topological dynamical system. We show that this factor can be defined via a certain generalization of the regionally proximal relation that is used to produce the maximal equicontin uous factor and corresponds to the case of order 1.

math.DS↗

arXiv2009

Nil-Bohr Sets of Integers

We study relations between subsets of integers that are large, where large can be interpreted in terms of size (such as a set of positive upper density or a set with bounded gaps) or in terms of additive structure (such as a Bohr set). Bohr sets are fundamentally abelian in nature and are linked to Fourier analysis. Recently it has become apparent that a higher order, non-abelian, Fourier analysis plays a role in both additive combinatorics and in ergodic theory. Here we introduce a higher order version of Bohr sets and give various properties of these objects, generalizing results of Bergelson, Furstenberg, and Weiss.

math.DS↗

arXiv2007

Uniformity seminorms on $\ell^\infty$ and applications

A key tool in recent advances in understanding arithmetic progressions and other patterns in subsets of the integers is certain norms or seminorms. One example is the norms on $\Z/N\Z$ introduced by Gowers in his proof of Szemerédi's Theorem, used to detect uniformity of subsets of the integers. Another example is the seminorms on bounded functions in a measure preserving system (associated to the averages in Furstenberg's proof of Szemerédi's Theorem) defined by the authors. For each integer $k\geq 1$, we define seminorms on $\ell^\infty(\Z)$ analogous to these norms and seminorms. We study the correlation of these norms with certain algebraically defined sequences, which arise from evaluating a continuous function on the homogeneous space of a nilpotent Lie group on a orbit (the nilsequences). Using these seminorms, we define a dual norm that acts as an upper bound for the correlation of a bounded sequence with a nilsequence. We also prove an inverse theorem for the seminorms, showing how a bounded sequence correlates with a nilsequence. As applications, we derive several ergodic theoretic results, including a nilsequence version of the Wiener-Wintner ergodic theorem, a nil version of a corollary to the spectral theorem, and a weighted multiple ergodic convergence theorem.

math.DS↗

arXiv2007

Analysis of two step nilsequences

Nilsequences arose in the study of the multiple ergodic averages associated to Furstenberg's proof of Szemerédi's Theorem and have since played a role in problems in additive combinatorics. Nilsequences are a generalization of almost periodic sequences and we study which portions of the classical theory for almost periodic sequences can be generalized for two step nilsequences. We state and prove basic properties for 2-step nilsequences and give a classification scheme for them.

math.DS↗

arXiv2006

Ergodic Methods in Additive Combinatorics

Shortly after Szemerédi's proof that a set of positive upper density contains arbitrarily long arithmetic progressions, Furstenberg gave a new proof of this theorem using ergodic theory. This gave rise to the field of ergodic Ramsey Theory, in which problems motivated by additive combinatorics are proven using ergodic theory. Ergodic Ramsey Theory has since produced combinatorial results, some of which have yet to be obtained by other means, and has also given a deeper understanding of the structure of measure preserving systems. We outline the ergodic theory background needed to understand these results, with an emphasis on recent developments in ergodic theory and the relation to recent developments in additive combinatorics. These notes are based on four lectures given during the School on Additive Combinatorics at the Centre de Recherches Mathématiques, Montreal in April, 2006. The talks were aimed at an audience without background in ergodic theory. No attempt is made to include complete proofs of all statements and often the reader is referred to the original sources. Many of the proofs included are classic, included as an indication of which ingredients play a role in the developments of the past ten years.

math.DS↗

arXiv2006

Multiple recurence and convergence for sequences related to the prime numbers

For any measure preserving system $(X,\mathcal{X},μ,T)$ and $A\in\mathcal{X}$ with $μ(A)>0$, we show that there exist infinitely many primes $p$ such that $μ\bigl(A\cap T^{-(p-1)}A\cap T^{-2(p-1)}A\bigr) > 0$ (the same holds with $p-1$ replaced by $p+1$). Furthermore, we show the existence of the limit in $L^2(μ)$ of the associated ergodic average over the primes. A key ingredient is a recent result of Green and Tao on the von Mangoldt function. A combinatorial consequence is that every subset of the integers with positive upper density contains an arithmetic progression of length three and common difference of the form $p-1$ (or $p+1$) for some prime $p$.

math.DS↗

arXiv2006

Parallelepipeds, Nilpotent Groups, and Gowers Norms

In his proof of Szemeredi's Theorem, Gowers introduced certain norms that are defined on a parallelepiped structure. A natural question is on which sets a parallelepiped structure (and thus a Gowers norm) can be defined. We focus on dimensions 2 and 3 and show when this possible, and describe a correspondence between the parallelepiped structures nilpotent groups.

math.CO↗

arXiv2006

Ergodic Averages for Independent Polynomials and Applications

Szemerédi's Theorem states that a set of integers with positive upper density contains arbitrarily long arithmetic progressions. Bergelson and Leibman generalized this, showing that sets of integers with positive upper density contain arbitrarily long polynomial configurations; Szemerédi's Theorem corresponds to the linear case of the polynomial theorem. We focus on the case farthest from the linear case, that of rationally independent polynomials. We derive results in ergodic theory and in combinatorics for rationally independent polynomials, showing that their behavior differs sharply from the general situation.

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arXiv2004

Convergence of multiple ergodic averages for some commuting transformations

We prove the $L^{2}$ convergence for the linear multiple ergodic averages of commuting transformations $T_{1}, ..., T_{l}$, assuming that each map $T_i$ and each pair $T_iT_j^{-1}$ is ergodic for $i\neq j$. The limiting behavior of such averages is controlled by a particular factor, which is an inverse limit of nilsystems. As a corollary we show that the limiting behavior of linear multiple ergodic averages is the same for commuting transformations.

math.DS↗

arXiv2004

Polynomial Averages Converge to the Product of Integrals

We answer a question posed by Vitaly Bergelson, showing that in a totally ergodic system, the average of a product of functions evaluated along polynomial times, with polynomials of pairwise differing degrees, converges in $L^{2}$ to the product of the integrals. Such averages are characterized by nilsystems and so we reduce the problem to one of uniform distribution of polynomial sequences on nilmanifolds.

math.DS↗