Densing sets (Q1908489)

Let \(\mathcal H\) be a family of closed subsets of \(\mathbb{R}\). A subset \(D= (r_n)\) of \(\mathbb{R}\) is said to be \({\mathcal H}\)-densing if for every \(H\in {\mathcal H}\) and \(\varepsilon> 0\) there exists \(a\in D\) such that the set \(aH\) is \(\varepsilon\)-dense \(\text{mod } 1\) (i.e., for all intervals \(J\) of length \(\varepsilon\), \(aH\cap (J+ \mathbb{Z})\neq \emptyset\)). For example if \(\mathcal H\) is the family of subsets of \(\mathbb{R}\) whose projection \(\text{mod } 1\) is infinite then, according to a theorem of \textit{S. Glasner} [Isr. J. Math. 32, 161-172 (1979; Zbl 0406.54023)], \(\mathbb{Z}\) is \({\mathcal H}\)-densing. In this paper, the authors study \({\mathcal H}\)-densing sets where \(\mathcal H\) is a family of closed subsets of \(\mathbb{R}\) such that the family \({\mathcal S}= \{A\subset \mathbb{R}\); \(A\) closed and \(A\not\in {\mathcal H}\}\) satisfies the following properties: (1) if \(A\in {\mathcal S}\) and \(B\subset A\), \(B\) closed, then \(B\in {\mathcal S}\); (2) if \(A\in {\mathcal S}\) then \(rA+ s\in {\mathcal S}\) for every \(r\), \(s\in \mathbb{R}\); (3) if \(A\) is closed and \(A\cap J\in {\mathcal S}\) for every compact interval \(J\) in \(\mathbb{R}\), then \(A\in {\mathcal S}\); (4) \(\mathcal S\) is closed under finite unions; (5) \(\{0\}\in {\mathcal S}\), \(\mathbb{R}\not\in {\mathcal S}\). Elements of \(\mathcal H\) (resp. of \(\mathcal S\)) are called hefty (resp. slim) sets. Several equivalent conditions for a set \(D\) to be \({\mathcal H}\)-densing and some results for general families of hefty sets are given. For example, as a consequence of a general theorem, if \(b: D\to \mathbb{R}\) is a bounded mapping and \(D\) is \({\mathcal H}\)-densing then \(\{r+ b(r); r\in D\}\) also is \({\mathcal H}\)-densing. Special families of hefty sets are defined, including the largest one denoted by \({\mathcal N} D\) (which is the family of all non-discrete closed sets) and the smallest one denoted by \({\mathcal S} D\) (which is the family of all closed sets containing an interval of positive length). Some of these families are related to Hausdorff dimension, like the family \({\mathcal H} D_{> d}\) \((0\leq d< 1)\) of all (closed) sets whose Hausdorff dimension is \(> d\). The paper contains various results. Here we quote a few of them: if \(D\theta= (r_n \theta)\) is uniformly distributed for every \(\theta\in \mathbb{R}\) then \(D\) is \({\mathcal N} D\)-densing; if \(D= (r_n)\) is sub-lacunary, i.e., \(\lim_n r_n= + \infty\) and \(\lim_n r_{n+1}/r_n= 1\), then \(D\) is \({\mathcal H} D_{> 0}\)-densing; if \(r_n\in {\mathcal O}(n^t)\) for a certain real number \(t\geq 1\), then \(D= (r_n)\) is \({\mathcal H} D_{> 1- 1/t}\)-densing; \(D\) is \({\mathcal S} D\)-densing if and only if \(D\) is unbounded. It is also shown that any two distinct families considered in the paper (with one exception) lead to different notions of densing sets. In a final section, the authors deal with sets satisfying a condition even stronger than being \({\mathcal N} D\)-densing and formulate interesting open questions.