Densities on Dedekind domains, completions and Haar measure (Q6184096)

This paper deals with densities in \(\mathbb N\) and its extensions to integers in number fields. The authors note the following: ``Let D be the ring of \(S\)-integers in a global field and \(\widehat{D}\) its profinite completion. Given \(X \subseteq D^n\), we consider its closure \({\widehat{X}} \subseteq {\widehat{D}}^n\) and ask what can be learned from \(\widehat{X}\) about the ``size'' of \(X\). In particular, we ask when the density of \(X\) is equal to the Haar measure of \(\widehat{X}\). We provide a general definition of density which encompasses the most commonly used ones. Using it we give a necessary and sufficient condition for the equality between density and measure which subsumes a criterion due to Poonen and Stoll. We also show how Ekedahl's sieve fits into our setting and find conditions ensuring that \(\widehat{X}\) can be written as a product of local closures. In another direction, we extend the Davenport-Erdös theorem to every \(D\) as above and offer a new interpretation of it as a ``density=measure'' result. Our point of view also provides a simple proof that in any \(D\) the set of elements divisible by at most \(k\) distinct primes has density \(0\) for any \(k \in \mathbb N\). Finally, we show that the closure of the set of prime elements of \(D\) is the union of the group of units of \(\widehat{D}\) with a negligible part''. The paper contains a number of auxiliary explanations and examples. Such notions as a canonical isomorphism of topological rings, a natural ring homomorphism, and closed ideals, as well as supernatural ideals and numbers, various densities, etc., are discussed.