One-sided approximation in affine function spaces (Q1740627)

Let \(H\) be a subgroup of \(\mathbb{R}^n\) and let \(m>1\) be an integer. We say that \(H\) satisfies condition \((A_m)\) if for every \(\varepsilon>0\) and every \(h\in H\) there is \(h'\in H\) such that \(\|h-mh'\|<\varepsilon\). Kronecker showed that condition \((A_m)\) is in fact independent of \(m\), and that \(H\) satisfies it if and only if for every linear functional \(\tau: \mathbb{R}^n\to \mathbb{R}\), either \(\tau(H)=0\) or \(\tau(H)\) is dense in \(\mathbb{R}\). In the paper under review, the authors study a different approximation property for \(H\): they say that \(H\) satisfies condition \((B_m)\) if for every \(\varepsilon>0\) and every \(h\in H\) there is \(h'\in H\) such that the coordinates of \(h-mh'\) are bounded below by \(-\varepsilon\). The main result of the work is a characterization of condition \((B_m)\) in terms of positive linear functionals, analogous to the above mentioned characterization of condition \((A_m)\) by Kronecker in terms of linear functionals. To state it, we introduce some notation: let \(K_n\) denote the standard \((n-1)\) simplex in the dual of \(\mathbb{R}^n\), consisting of those linear functionals sending \((1,\ldots,1)\) to \(1\). Set \[ Z(H)=\{\tau\in K_n: \tau(H)=0\}, \] and let \(F(H)\) be the smalles face of \(K_n\) containing \(Z(H)\). Then \(H\) satisfies condition \((B_m)\) if and only if for every \(\tau\in F(H)\), either \(\tau(H)=0\) or \(\tau(H)\) is dense in \(\mathbb{R}\). In particular, condition \((B_m)\) is independent of \(m\). Some extensions of this result and applications are given as well.