Solving Skolem's problem for the \(k\)-generalized Fibonacci sequence with negative indices (Q6187125)

Let \(k\ge 2\) be an integer and \(F^{(k)}:=(F_n^{(k)})_{n\ge -(k-2)}\) be the \(k\)-generalized Fibonacci sequence defined by a linear recurrence relation of order \(k\) given by \[ F_{-(n-2)}^{(k)}=\cdots = F^{(k)}_{-1}= F_0^{(k)}=0, \quad F_1^{(k)}=1, \quad \text{and} \quad F_n^{(k)}=F_{n-1}^{(k)}+F_{n-2}^{(k)}+\cdots+F_{n-k}^{(k)}\quad \text{for} \quad n\ge 2. \] This sequence can be extended to all integer indices \(n\). Since \(F_n^{(k)}>0\) for \(n>0\), all zeros of \(F^{(k)}\) correspond to non-positive indices \(n\). Denote \(H^{(k)}:=(H_n^{(k)})_{n\ge -(k-2)}\), where \(H_n^{(k)}=F_{-n}^{(k)}\). This sequence satisfies the linear recurrence relation \[ H_n^{(k)}=H_{n-k}^{(k)}+H_{n-(k-1)}^{(k)}+\cdots+H_{n-1}^{(k)}\quad \text{for all} \quad n\ge k, \] with the initial values \(H_i^{(k)}=0\) for \(0\le i\le k-2\) and \(H_{k-1}^{(k)}=1\). The main results of the authors of the paper under review involve establishing the corresponding identities for \(H^{(k)}\) and hence, solving Skolem's problem by proving the zero multiplicity for \(H^{(k)}\). The proofs of their main results follow from a clever combination of techniques in Diophantine number theory, the usual properties of the \(k\)-generalized Fibonacci sequence, Baker's theory for non-zero lower bounds for linear forms in logarithms of algebraic numbers, and \(p\)-adic valuations.