\(S\)-adic version of Minkowski's geometry of numbers and Mahler's compactness criterion (Q503703)

In [Proc. R. Soc. Lond., Ser. A 187, 151--187 (1946; Zbl 0060.11710)] \textit{K. Mahler} proved that a subset \(R\) of the homogeneous space \(X = \mathrm{SL}_{n}(\mathbb{Z}) \setminus\mathrm{SL}_{n}(\mathbb{R})\) is relatively compact if and only if nonzero elements of the corresponding unimodular lattices are separated from zero. Let \(S\) be a finite nonempty set of places of a global field \(K\). When \(K\) is a number field, the extension of Mahler's criterion to the \(S\)-adic case has already been used in several papers. In [Comment. Math. Helv. 82, No. 3, 519--581 (2007; Zbl 1135.11037)], \textit{D. Kleinbock} and \textit{G. Tomanov} proved it for \(K = \mathbb{Q}\). A proof of the \(S\)-adic Mahler's criterion for arbitrary number field \(K\) is given in a preliminary version of the paper by Kleinbock and Tomanov [loc. cit.] published as a preprint of MPIM (Bonn). In [J. Number Theory 124, No. 2, 454--469 (2007; Zbl 1123.11024)], \textit{A. Ghosh} proved Mahler's criterion when \(K\) is a function field with genus zero and \(S\) contains a single place of degree one. The general \(S\)-adic case is known to experts, but it is not easy to find a convenient reference. Here a self-contained proof of an \(S\)-adic version of Mahler's criterion has been provided for ready reference. The proof is based on an \(S\)-adic version of Minkowski's lemma of geometry of numbers.