On \(\text{SL}(n,\mathbb Z)_+\)-orbits on \(\mathbb R^n\) and positive integral solutions of linear inequalities (Q838458): Difference between revisions

It is well-known that under the natural action of \(\text{SL}(n,\mathbb Z)\) on \(\mathbb R^n\) the orbit of a vector is dense if and only if it is not a multiple of an integral vector. The result is obtained as a special case of the study of orbits of lattices in \(\text{SL}(n,\mathbb R)\), and depends on the reduction theory, ergodic theory and dynamics. In this paper the orbits of the natural action of \(\Gamma_+=\text{SL}(n,\mathbb Z)_+\) (the semigroup of nonnegative integral \(n\times n\) matrices with determinant 1) on \(\mathbb{R}^n\) have been studied. More precisely, the result proved is as follows: Let \(v=(v_1,\dots,v_n)'\in\mathbb R^n\) be such that not all nonzero \(v_i\)'s are of the same sign, and there exist \(r\) and \(s\) for which \(v_s\neq 0\) and \(v_r/v_s\) is irrational. Then (i) If \(n\geq 3\) then \(\Gamma_+ (v)\) is dense in \(\mathbb R^n\). (ii) If \(n=2\) then the closure \(\overline \Gamma_+(v)\) of \(\Gamma_+(v)\) equals \(P\cup P_-\cup\Gamma_+ (v)\), where \(P\) is the positive quadrant and \(P_-=\{-v:v\in P\}\); in particular, the complement of \(P\cup P_-\cup\overline\Gamma_+(v)\)is a discrete set whose unique limit point is the origin. This result has also been applied to find positive integral solutions to linear Diophantine inequalities. The proofs are based on elementary arguments.