Simultaneous approximation of algebraic numbers of \(\mathbb Q_p\) by rational numbers. (Q1865181)

If \((q_0,\dots, q_n)\in \mathbb Z^{n+1}\), denote its height by \(H= H(q_0,\dots, q_n)= \max_{0\leq j\leq n}| q_j|\). Let \(1,\beta_1,\dots, \beta_n\) be \(\mathbb Q\)-linearly independent \(p\)-adic numbers in a number field of degree \(n+1\) over \(\mathbb Q\). The author proves the existence of a constant \(C>0\) and of infinitely many \((q_0,\dots, q_n)\in \mathbb Z^{n+1}\) with \(q_0\neq 0\) such that \(|\beta_m- q_m/q_0|_p< CH^{-(n+ 1)/n}(\log H)^{-1/(n- 1)}\) for \(1\leq m\leq n-1\) and \(|\beta_n- q_n/q_0|_p< CH^{-(n+ 1)/n}\). This is the exact analogue of the result of \textit{L. C. Peck} in the real case [Bull. Am. Math. Soc. 67, 197--201 (1961; Zbl 0098.26302)]. The proof involves the study of groups of \(S\)-units and the \(p\)-adic logarithm. As a consequence, the author proves the \(p\)-adic case of a conjecture of Littlewood.