On integer and fractional parts of powers of Salem numbers (Q2501154)

Let \(\alpha\) be an algebraic number, and let \(\zeta\) be a positive number. Suppose that \(L(\zeta, \alpha) \subseteq [0,1]\) is the set of limit points of the sequence of fractional parts \(\{\zeta \alpha^n\},\) \(n=1,2,3,\dots.\) In [Bull. Lond. Math. Soc. 38, 70--80 (2006; Zbl 1164.11025)] the reviewer obtained a lower bound for the difference between the largest and the smallest elements of the set \(L(\zeta, \alpha).\) If \(\alpha\) is a Salem number or a Pisot number, the above mentioned result holds under an extra condition on \(\zeta,\) namely, \(\zeta \notin {\mathbb Q}(\alpha),\) which cannot be removed. In this paper, the author studies the `exceptional' case when \(\alpha\) is a Salem number and \(\zeta\) is of the form \(1/N,\) where \(N \in {\mathbb N},\) so that \(\zeta \in {\mathbb Q}(\alpha).\) Let \(d\) be the degree of \(\alpha\) over \(\mathbb Q\). The author proves that \(L(1/N, \alpha)=[0,1]\) if \(N \leq 2d-4.\) For \(N=2d-3,\) he shows that there is a power of \(\alpha,\) say, \(\beta=\alpha^{\ell}\) such that \(L(1/N,\beta)=[0,1/N] \cup [2/N, 1]\). Finally, for \(N \geq 2d-2,\) he proves that there is a power of \(\alpha,\) say, \(\beta=\alpha^{l}\) such that \(L(1/N,\beta)=[2/N, (2d-2)/N]\). As a corollary, it is shown that there are infinitely many positive integers \(n\) for which \(N\) divides \([\alpha^n]\) in case \(N \leq 2d-3.\) Alternatively, if \(N \geq 2d-2,\) then there is a positive integer \(k\) such that the integral parts \([\alpha^{kn}],\) \(n=1,2,3,\dots,\) are not divisible by \(N.\)