A generalization of Ostrowski's theorem on ultrametric inequalities (Q757491)

An ultrametric function on the group \({\mathbb{Z}}\) of all integers or the field \({\mathbb{Q}}\) of all rationals is a real-valued function satisfying all the properties of a valuation except the multiplicative property. It is well known that the only valuations on \({\mathbb{Q}}\) are (up to equivalence) either the p-adic valuation associated to some prime p or the usual absolute value. The author proves that all ultrametric functions on \({\mathbb{Q}}\) can be obtained by means of certain strictly positive real- valued functions on filtrations of nonzero fractional ideals of \({\mathbb{Q}}.\) As a first step to this all such functions on \({\mathbb{Z}}\) are characterized using a filtration of nonzero ideals of \({\mathbb{Z}}\). A necessary and sufficient condition for the extension of an ultrametric function f on \({\mathbb{Z}}\) to such a function on \({\mathbb{Q}}\) satisfying the functional equation \(f(x)f(x^{-1})=1\) is also given. Finally the author states that the characterization of ultrametric functions on number fields (even for quadratic fields) is still open.