Dirichlet sets vs characterized subgroups (Q2411455)

The authors consider sequences \(\mathbf u=(u_n)_n\) of positive integers that satisfy the relation \(u_n=q_n^{\mathbf u}u_{n-1}\), for some sequence \((q_n^{\mathbf u})_n\) of positive integers. They refer to them as \textit{algebraic} sequences or \(a\)-sequences. These sequences are put in relation with certain subsets of the circle related to Dirichlet sets as defined by \textit{J.-P. Kahane} [Series de Fourier absolument convergentes. Berlin-Heidelberg-New York: Springer-Verlag (1970; Zbl 0195.07602)]: a subset \(A\) of \(\mathbb T\) is said to be a \textit{Dirichlet} set, or a \(D\)-set, when there is a sequence \(\mathbf u=(u_n)_n\) of positive numbers such that \(\sin(\pi u_n x) \) converges to 0 uniformly on \(A\) (the circle group \(\mathbb T\) is identified with the interval \([0, 1)\)). Dirichlet sets are related to so-called \(a\)-characterized and \(a\)-factorizable subgroups. Here, a subgroup \(H\) of \(\mathbb T\) is said to be: (1) \textit{\(a\)-determined}, when there is an \(a\)-sequence \(\mathbf u\) such that \(H=t_{\mathbf u}(\mathbb T):=\left\{x\in \mathbb T:u_nx\to 0\right\}\) and (2) \textit{\(a\)-factorizable} when \(H\) can be decomposed as the sum of two proper \(a\)-determined subgroups: \(H=t_{\mathbf v}(\mathbb T)+t_{\mathbf w}(\mathbb T)\), for some \(a\)-sequences \(\mathbf v\) and \(\mathbf w\). Among the results of the paper, obtained through necessarily intrincate computations, we find that the circle itself is factorizable. The sequences \(\mathbf v\) and \(\mathbf w\) can in this case be obtained as subsequences of any sequence \(\mathbf u\) given in advance. The authors also explore other factorizable subgroups of \(\mathbb T\). In the case of countable subgroups, a complete characterization is obtained. This task is made easier by a result of \textit{D. Dikranjan} and \textit{K. Kunen} [J. Pure Appl. Algebra 208, No. 1, 285--291 (2007; Zbl 1109.22002)], and, independently, of \textit{M. Beiglböck} et al. [Topology Appl. 153, No. 11, 1682--1695 (2006; Zbl 1091.22001)] which shows that every countable subgroup of \(\mathbb T\) is determined. A countable subgroup of \(\mathbb T\) is then proved to be factorizable if and only if it is not a cocyclic group. This turns out to be the same as being isomorphic, as a group, to a finite direct sum of cyclic groups of power-prime order \(\mathbb Z(p_j^{l_j})\) and quasi-cyclic groups \(\mathbb Z(p_j^\infty)\). The paper ends by showing that when the sequence of ratios \(q_n^{\mathbf u}\) of an \(a\)-sequence \(\mathbf u\) goes to infinity, then the group \(t_{\mathbf u}(\mathbb T)\) is always factorizable.