Separation of the roots of polynomials and a question of Sprindzhuk (Q2574041): Difference between revisions

The authors obtain lower bounds on the distance between the roots of an integer polynomial \(P\) of degree \(n\). If \(\alpha\) and \(\beta\) are roots of \(P\) of multiplicity \(s_1\) and \(s_2\) respectively, then \[ | \alpha - \beta | \geq 2^{-n/s+2} n^{-n(2s_1 + 3)/(2s_1s_2)} H(P)^{-2n/(s_1s_2)}, \] if \(s_2 \geq s_1\). If \(s_1 = s_2 = s\), it is shown that \[ | \alpha - \beta | \geq 2^{-n/s} n^{-n(2s + 3)/(4s^2)} H(P)^{-n/s^2 + 1/(2s)} \max\{1, | \alpha |\}^{3/2} \max\{1, | \beta |\}^{3/2}. \] In both cases, \(H(P)\) denotes the naive height of the polynomial \(P\). The bounds stated here are consequences of even more complicated expressions involving the Mahler measure of one of the numbers as well as of the polynomial. The results substantially generalise work of \textit{M. Amou} [J. Reine Angew. Math. 470, 27--50 (1996; Zbl 0835.11027)]. The result on the separation of roots is subsequently applied to a metrical question related to \textit{V. G. Sprindzhuk's} classification of transcendental numbers [Litov. Mat. Sb. 2, No. 2, 215--219 (1962; Zbl 0119.04702)]. It is shown that for any \(\varepsilon > 0\), for Lebesgue almost every (real or complex) number \(\xi\), there is a \(c(\xi, \varepsilon)\) such that \[ | P(\xi) | > \exp\big( -(3+\varepsilon) n \log H - (4 + \varepsilon) n \log n\big), \] for any integer polynomial \(P\) of degree \(n\) and naive height \(H\), where \(\max\{n,H\} > c(\xi, \varepsilon)\). This is again an extension of work of \textit{M. Amou} [( loc.cit.) and RIMS Kokyuroku 961, 112--116 (1996; Zbl 1043.11537)].