On a criterion of linear independence of \(p\)-adic numbers (Q692608)

In his famous article [Mosc. Univ. Math. Bull. 40, No. 1, 69--74 (1985); translation from Vestn. Mosk. Univ., Ser. I 1985, No. 1, 46--49 (1985; Zbl 0572.10027)], the present author gave sufficient conditions for the linear independence of real numbers over \(\mathbb{Q}\). This criterion had a lot of applications, e.g., by \textit{T. Rivoal} [C. R. Acad. Sci., Paris, Sér. I, Math. 331, No. 4, 267--270 (2000; Zbl 0973.11072)], to prove that the set \(\{\zeta(3),\zeta(5),\zeta(7),\ldots\}\) contains infinitely many \(\mathbb{Q}\)-linearly independent elements (\(\zeta\) denoting Riemann's zeta function), or, by \textit{T. Töpfer} and the reviewer [Monatsh. Math. 117, 17--32 (1994; Zbl 0804.11044)], who generalized the main result from [loc. cit.] and established quantitative versions. The present article provides a \(p\)-adic analogue of the results in [loc. cit.]. It should be pointed out that the proof there was highly based on certain geometric arguments that could not be automatically carried over to the \(p\)-adic case. A recent application of the new \(p\)-adic criterion is due to \textit{K. Väänänen} and the reviewer [Int. J. Number Theory 7, No. 2, 431--447 (2011; Zbl 1242.11048)].