Conjecture on popular four-term polynomial configurations over rings of integers

Let KK be a number field with ring of integers OKO_K. Let r,s\thisattacksimr,s\thisattacksim be distinct and nonzero. For an OKO_K-system (X,B,μ,T)(X,\mathcal{B},\mu,T), an OKO_K-valued intersective polynomial pK[x]p\in K[x], and ABA\in\mathcal{B}, consider the four-term polynomial configuration formed by the transformations 00, rp(n)-rp(n), sp(n)-sp(n), and (r+s)p(n)-(r+s)p(n). Two algebraic numbers are conjugate over Q\mathbb{Q} when they have the same minimal polynomial over Q\mathbb{Q}. The popular-difference conjecture. For every ergodic measure-preserving OKO_K-system (X,B,μ,T)(X,\mathcal{B},\mu,T), every ABA\in\mathcal{B}, every ε>0\varepsilon>0, and every OKO_K-valued intersective polynomial pK[x]p\in K[x], the set

{n\inOK:μ(ATrp(n)ATsp(n)AT(r+s)p(n)A)>μ(A)4ε}\left\{n\inO_K:\mu\left(A\cap T^{-rp(n)}A\cap T^{-sp(n)}A\cap T^{-(r+s)p(n)}A\right)>\mu(A)^4-\varepsilon\right\}

is syndetic if and only if no two conjugates of s/rs/r over Q\mathbb{Q} are negatives of each other. The conjecture seeks an algebraic criterion exactly characterizing when the four-term Khintchine-type conclusion holds; the corresponding eigenvalue obstruction is known in related finitary examples, while the asserted equivalence over rings of integers is not established in the supplied text.

Sources & referencesView supporting material

Primary source

Ethan Ackelsberg and Vitaly Bergelson, “Multiple recurrence and popular differences for polynomial patterns in rings of integers”, arXiv:2107.07626 (2023).

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