Equidistribution of sparse sequences on nilmanifolds (Q2655711)

The equidistribution properties of nil-orbits \((b^nx)_{n\geqslant1}\) in a homogeneous space \(X=G/\Gamma\) with \(G\) a nilpotent Lie group and \(\Gamma\) a uniform lattice, are well-known to be of central importance in several areas. Here the same question is addressed for times \(n\) restricted to some sparse sets. An example of the results obtained is that if \(x\mapsto bx\) is an ergodic nilrotation on \(X\) and \(0<c\in\mathbb R\setminus\mathbb Z\), then the sequence \((b^{\lfloor n^c\rfloor}x)\) is equidistributed for every \(x\in X\). These interesting results, which will find applications in ergodic theory and combinatorics, build on work of \textit{M. D. Boshernitzan} [J. Anal. Math. 62, 225--240 (1994; Zbl 0804.11046)] in the circle. Recent work of Green and Tao giving quantitative equidistrbution results for polynomial nil-orbits, aimed at finding asymptotics for arithmetic progressions in the primes, are used in an essential way here.