On the zeros of recurrence sequences with non-constant coefficients (Q1977798)

Let \(\mathbb{F}\) be a field and \(g: \mathbb{N}\to \mathbb{F}\) a function satisfying a linear recurrence relation \[ g(n+k)+ a_{k-1}(n) g(n+k-1)+\cdots+ a_0(n) g(n)= 0 \quad\text{for }n\geq n_0. \tag{\(*\)} \] For the case of constant coefficients \(a_\kappa\in \mathbb{C}\) it is known by the Skolem-Mahler-Lech theorem, that the zeros of \(g\) with the exception of a finite set lie in a finite union of arithmetic progressions. In the present paper the author deals with functions \(g\) satisfying a relation \((*)\) with nonconstant coefficients \(a_\kappa: \mathbb{N}\to {\mathcal Q}\). Here \({\mathcal Q}\) is the field of fractions of the ring \({\mathcal R}\) of functions \(f: \mathbb{N}\to \mathbb{F}\) defined by the properties \[ f(n)= 0\text{ for infinitely many }n\in \mathbb{N}\Rightarrow f(n)= 0\quad \forall n \tag{1} \] and \[ f\in {\mathcal R}\Rightarrow f_{a,q}\in {\mathcal R}\quad \forall a,q\in \mathbb{N}, \tag{2} \] where \(f_{a,q}(n)= f(qn+a)\). Using Szemerédi's theorem on arithmetic progressions in sets of positive density she proves a weaker analog of the theorem of Skolem, Mahler and Lech: The zeros of such a function \(g\) except for a set of density zero lie in a finite union of arithmetic progression.