Problems of almost everywhere convergence related to harmonic analysis and number theory (Q1813221)

In the Festschrift in honor of I. I. Piatetski-Shapiro on the occasion of his sixtieth birthday. Isr. Math. Conf. Proc. 3, 1-45 (1990; Zbl 0729.11038) the author proves: Let \(f\) be a 1-periodic measurable function on \(\mathbb{R}\), with \(\int^ 1_ 0| f|^ 2<\infty\); if \(\theta>1\) is an algebraic number then \(N^{-1}\sum^ N_ 1 f(\theta^ nx)\to\int^ 1_ 0 f\) for almost all \(x\in\mathbb{R}\). This generalizes the Riesz-Raikov theorem (in which \(\theta\) is an integer), and in the present paper the case where \(\theta\) is rational is proved. The relation between a.e. convergence and algebraic numbers is further exhibited in the following theorem: Let \((\mu_ j)\) be the following sequence of measures defined by convolution of Bernoulli distributions (\(\delta_ x\) denoting the Dirac measure) \[ \mu_ j:=*^ j_{k=1}\left({1\over 2}\delta_{-\xi^ k}+{1\over 2}\delta_{\xi^ k}\right),\quad\xi=\delta^{-1}, \] such that \((\mu_ j)\) converges weak* to the natural measure \(\mu\) on the Cantor set of dissection ratio \(\theta\); then \(f*\mu_ j\to f*\mu\) a.e. for all \(L^ \infty(\mathbb{R}/\mathbb{Z})\) functions, if and only if \(\mu\) is algebraic. Applications in ergodic theory are given. Finally, a.e. convergence of Riemann sums of periodic \(L^ 2\)-functions is investigated, and it is shown that if \(R_ n(f):=n^{-1}\sum^{n-1}_ 0 f(x+j/n)\) then \(R_ nf\) has a logarithmic density almost surely.