Cyclotomic properties of polynomials associated with automatic sequences (Q2197904): Difference between revisions

Let \((a_n)_{n \geq 0}\) be a sequence, and define \(T_n (X) = \sum_{0 \leq i < n} a_i X^i\). Brillhart, Lomont, and Morton [\textit{J. Brillhart} et al., J. Reine Angew. Math. 288, 37--65 (1976; Zbl 0335.12003)] showed that if \((a_n)\) is the Rudin-Shapiro sequence with values \(\pm 1\), and \(\zeta\) is an \(r\)-th root of unity, where \(r>1\) is odd, then \[ T_{n+2s} (\zeta) - C_s(\zeta) T_{n+s} (\zeta) + (-2)^s T_n(\zeta) = 0 \] for a certain sequence of polynomials \(C_s (X)\). They also investigated when \(C_s(\zeta) \in \mathbb{Z}\). In this paper the author generalizes the result of Brillhart, Lomont, and Morton to arbitrary \(k\)-automatic sequences; these are sequences \((a_n)\) computed by finite automata that read an input \(n\) expressed in base \(k\) and produce an output associated with the last state reached. He investigates when the resulting polynomial coefficients take on integer values at roots of unity. He also obtains detailed results in the case that \((a_n)\) is the Thue-Morse sequence with values in \(\pm 1\).