Counting exceptional points for rational numbers associated to the Fibonacci sequence (Q1705828)

Let \(m_t(\alpha)\) be the \(t\)-metric Mahler measure of an algebraic number \(\alpha\), that is, \[ \inf \Big(\sum_{n=1}^N m(\alpha_n)^t\Big)^{1/t}, \] where \(m(\beta)\) stands for the logarithmic Mahler measure of \(\beta \in \overline{{\mathbb Q}}\), and the infimum is taken over all \(N \in {\mathbb N}\) and all possible representations of \(\alpha\) by the product of algebraic numbers \(\alpha_1 \dots \alpha_N\). It is known that the infimum is always attained and the infimum attaining points may be chosen from a finite set which is independent of \(t\). In this paper, the author calls a positive real number \(t\) standard for \(\alpha\) if there exist some \(\alpha_1, \dots, \alpha_N\) whose product is \(\alpha\) and an open neighborhood \(U\) of \(t\) such that \(m_t(\alpha)\) is attained at the same set \(\alpha_1,\dots,\alpha_N\). Otherwise, \(t\) is called exceptional for \(\alpha\). Since every algebraic number has only finitely many exceptional points, the author considers the following question: for every integer \(k \geq 0\) does there exist an algebraic number \(\alpha\) having \(k\) exceptional points? In order to approach this problem the author studies \(\alpha\) of the form \(p^{h_n}q^{-h_{n-1}}\), where \(p, q\) are primes and \((h_j)_{j=0}^{\infty}\) is the Fibonacci sequence. It is known that all Pisot numbers are beta numbers, but for Salem numbers this is proved only for degree \(4\). In this note, the author describes several types of Pisot numbers that are limits of Salem numbers which are all beta numbers. For example, this is shown for quadratic Pisot numbers with minimal polynomial \(x^2-ax-b\), where \(a \geq b \geq 1\), or \(-\lfloor a/2\rfloor \leq b \leq -1\). In the cubic case, the author shows that every cubic Pisot unit with the so-called finiteness property is a limit of a sequence of Salem numbers which are beta numbers. Some particular case of Pisot numbers of degree \(\geq 4\) having the same property are also considered.