Pointwise convergence of ergodic averages in Orlicz spaces (Q1928897)

In this article, given a measure space \((X,\Sigma,m)\) and a measure-preserving transformation \(T:X\to X\), the author studies the existence of integer sequences \((a_n)_{n\geq 1}\) such that the ergodic average \[ A_N f(x) = \frac{1}{N}\sum_{n=1}^N f(T^{a_n}x) \] may diverge for some function \(f\in L^1\), but converges \(m\)-almost everywhere for \(f\) in functional spaces very close to \(L^1\). Such investigations on the possible extensions of the classical Birkhoff's ergodic theorem to lacunary sequences of integers are very natural. Several sequences of integers have already been studied (\(n^2\), prime numbers, sequences with zero density). More precisely, given any Orlicz space \(O\) strictly included in \(L^1\), the author constructs a sequence \((a_n)\) such that \(A_N f\) converges almost everywhere for every function \(f\in O\), but does not converge for any \(f\in L^1\). In particular, there exists a sequence \((a_n)\) such that \(A_nf\) converges for every \(f\in L^1\log\log(L^1)\) and does not converge for an \(f\in L^1\).