On modifying normal numbers (Q2893513)

The paper gives a modification of \textit{B. Volkmann}'s construction [Ann. Fac. Sci. Toulouse, V. Ser., Math. 1, 269--285 (1979; Zbl 0429.10034)] of ``changing'' a normal number to a new normal number. Let \(C(\beta)_{{\mathbb Q}}\) denote the set of real numbers which are a rational multiple of a real number which set of indices of non-vanishing digits in the base \(\beta \)-expansion has vanishing asymptotic density. The following two theorems are proved: (1) Let \(\beta \geq 2\) and \(y\in C(\beta)_{{\mathbb Q}}\). If \(x\) is normal in base \(\beta \), then \(x+y\) is also normal in base \(\beta \) (consequently \(x-y\) is also normal); (2) Let \(\beta \geq 2\), \(K\) be a fixed positive integer, and let \(x\) be normal in base \(\beta \). Let \(S\) be a set of positive integers of vanishing asymptotic density. Assume that \(y\) results from inserting an arbitrary block of at most \(K\) \(\beta \)-nary digits in the base \(\beta \)-expansion of \(x\) between positions with index \(j\) and \(j+1\) for each \(j\in S\). One of the author's open questions asks for a characterization of the set of reals which preserve normality if added to a normal number. The second one asks the same question but for the case of absolute normality.