On the direct Cauchy theorem in Widom domains: positive and negative examples (Q766022)

Given a compact set \(E\) on the real line, the two metric properties \[ |E\cap (x-\delta,x+\delta)|\geq \eta\delta \quad \text{and}\quad \limsup_{\delta\to +0}\frac{|E\cap (x-\delta,x+\delta)|}{\delta}>0, \] where \(\eta=\eta(E)>0\) and \(x\in E\), are called the homogeneity and the weak homogeneity, respectively. A result of M. Sodin and the author claims that if \(E\) is a homogeneous set then \(\Omega=\mathbb{C}\backslash E\) is a Widom domain for which the direct Cauchy theorem (DCT) holds. In particular, all reflectionless Jacobi matrices with the spectrum on \(E\) are almost periodic. The first main result of the paper shows that the converse is in general not true. Specifically, the example (Benedicks' set) of a nonhomogeneous set such that the DCT still holds for \(\Omega\) is constructed. The second result shows that the weak homogeneity does not guarantee the DCT to hold for \(\Omega\).