A Euclidean Skolem-Mahler-Lech-Chabauty method (Q2428818)

This paper concerns the following form of the dynamical Mordell-Lang conjecture, due to \textit{S.-W. Zhang} [in: Essays in geometry in memory of S. S. Chern. Surveys in Differential Geometry 10, 381--430 (2006; Zbl 1207.37057)] and generalized by \textit{D. Ghioca} and \textit{T. J. Tucker} [J. Number Theory 129, No. 6, 1392--1403 (2009; Zbl 1186.14047)]: Conjecture: Let \(K\) be a field of characteristic zero, let \(X\) be an algebraic variety over \(K\), let \(f: X\to X\) be a regular self-map of \(X\) over \(K\), let \(a\in X(K)\) be a rational point, and let \(Y\subseteq X\) be a subvariety. Then the set \(\{n\in\mathbb N:f^{\circ n}(a)\in Y(K)\}\) is a finite union of points and arithmetic progressions. Work of \textit{R. L. Benedetto} et al. [Compos. Math. 146, No. 4, 1056--1072 (2010; Zbl 1209.37115)] proved a weaker statement, using \(p\)-adic dynamics and an approach related to Chabauty's method. This involved constructing finitely many \(p\)-adic power series that vanish at \((n,p^n,p^{2^n},\dots,p^{m^n})\) if and only if \(f^{\circ n}(a)\in Y\). One cannot directly replace \(\mathbb Q_p\) with \(\mathbb R\) in the above argument, since there are ``too many'' real analytic functions. However, this paper shows that in many cases one may construct a function \(F:(0,\infty)\to X(\mathbb R)\) such that \(F(n)=f^{\circ n}(a)\) for all \(n=1,2,3,\dots\), and which is definable in an o-minimal expansion of \(\mathbb R\) (specifically \(\mathbb R_{\text{an,exp}}\)). It then follows directly from the theory of o-minimality that if the orbit of \(a\) has infinite intersection with \(Y\) then all but finitely many of the points in that orbit lie in \(Y\). The precise statement proved is the following (for definitions, see the paper): Theorem: Let \(\Phi\) be a real analytic function for which some positive compositional power is expressible as a product of a strongly projectively linearizable function and a strongly monomializable function. Assume that \(a\) is sufficiently close to the origin. Then, for any closed real analytic subvariety \(X\), the set \(\{n\in\mathbb N:\Phi^{\circ n}(a)\in X\}\) is a finite union of points and arithmetic progressions. In particular, this result holds for \(\Phi\) expressible as a product of univariate functions.