The Skolem-Mahler-Lech theorem (Q2279223)

From the text: ``One of Mahler's most important works was his contribution to the understanding of zeros of linear recurrences in characteristic zero; the culmination of this result is today known by the Skolem-Mahler-Lech theorem, and is a cornerstone in the theory of linear recurrence sequences.'' ``The first step in this theorem was made by \textit{Th. Skolem} [8. Skand. Mat.-Kongr. 1934, 163--188 (1935; Zbl 0011.39201; JFM 61.1080.01)], who proved the result when \(a_n\in\mathbb Z\) for each \(n\); Mahler's contribution [Proc. Akad. Wet. Amsterdam 38, 50--60 (1935; Zbl 0010.39006; JFM 61.0176.02)] was to extend Skolem's result to the case where \(a_n\) is an algebraic number for every \(n\). \textit{C. Lech} [Ark. Mat. 2, 417--421 (1953; Zbl 0051.27801)] extended the result to arbitrary fields of characteristic zero. (We note that Mahler [J. Reine Angew. Math. 199, 23--34 (1958; Zbl 0080.03504); 208, 70--72 (1961; Zbl 0100.04003)] later gave a different, independent, proof from that of Lech of the general result. It is said that Mahler was unaware of Lech's result at the time of publishing his proof and was somewhat embarrassed by the discovery that Lech had proved the result already.)'' The following sections concern ``Skolem's method and proof'', followed by ``Proposed extensions of the Skolem-Mahler-Lech theorem: one dynamical, and one involving differential equations, and finally ``The Skolem-Mahler-Lech theorem in positive characteristic'', centering about the work of \textit{H. Derksen} [Invent. Math. 168, No. 1, 175--224 (2007; Zbl 1205.11030)].