Eigenvalues of minimal Cantor systems (Q1731780)

This paper gives a characterization of the spectrum of a large class of dynamical systems, by finding necessary and sufficient conditions for a given complex number to be a measurable eigenvalue of a minimal Cantor system (without a condition on the topological rank of the system). The conditions are expressed using the combinatorial data from the Bratteli-Vershik representation of the system, and may involve non-trivial calculations. These results are of interest in themselves, and also give access to several interesting constructions including the following: For any minimal Cantor system another Cantor system that is strong orbit equivalent to the first is constructed so as to share all the measure-theoretic eigenvalues, but without any irrational continuous eigenvalues. This is a significant step forward on the journey initiated by the work of \textit{F. M. Dekking} [Z. Wahrscheinlichkeitstheor. Verw. Geb. 41, 221--239 (1978; Zbl 0348.54034)] and \textit{B. Host} [Ergodic Theory Dyn. Syst. 6, 529--540 (1986; Zbl 0625.28011)] on minimal Cantor systems of finite topological rank, showing that in this setting measurable eigenvalues of primitive substitution systems are always associated to continuous eigenfunctions.