On the sequence of numbers of the form \(q^{n_1} + \cdots + q^{n_k}\) (Q699739)

Let \(r \geq 1\) be a fixed integer, and let \(\zeta=\zeta_r\) be the root of \(x^{r+1}-x^r-\dots-x-1\) in \((1,2).\) Suppose that \(y_n,\) \(n=1,2, \dots,\) is the strictly increasing sequence formed by the numbers \(\zeta^{n_1}+\dots+\zeta^{n_s},\) where \(n_1, \dots, n_s\) are distinct non-negative integers. (Here, \(s\) is not fixed; it runs over every positive integer.) Consider the sequence of gaps \(u_n=y_{n+1}-y_n,\) \(n=1,2, \dots.\) The author proves that, for each \(k\) satisfying \(2 \leq k \leq r+1,\) the value \(\zeta^{k-1}-\zeta^k-\dots-1\) occurs in the sequence \(u_n,\) \(n=1,2, \dots,\) with the frequency equal to \(1/\zeta^{k}.\) For any real \(q \in (1,2),\) the sequences composed by the numbers \(q^{n_1}+\dots+q^{n_k}\) were studied earlier by Erdős, Joó and Joó, Komornik, Loreti, the author and others. Pisot numbers usually play a special role in these problems; the above \(\zeta\) is a Pisot number. It is not known whether there is a non-Pisot number \(q\) for which \(u_n \geq c,\) where \(c\) is an absolute positive constant. In his proof, the author uses developments in certain bases of integers. These integers may be viewed as a generalization of Fibonacci numbers.