The Rokhlin-Halmos-Alpern maximal lemma (Q1382568)

The authors generalize the Rokhlin-Halmos-Alpern lemma known in ergodic theory. The following result is proved. Let \(T\) be a non-periodic automorphism of the Lebesgue space \((X,\mu)\), \(\mu(X) = 1\), and let a finite or countable set of positive integers \(h(1), h(2),\dots\) be given with the greatest common divisor equal to 1 as well as the set of positive numbers \(a(1),a(2),\dots\) such that \(a(1) + a(2) + \dots = 1\). Then the phase space \(X\) can be divided into Rokhlin-Halmos towers \(A(i)\), where \(\mu(A(i)) = a(i)\), and the height of the tower \(A(i)\) is \(h(i)\).