Factorization of powers in \(C\)-monoids. (Q855334)

For commutative, cancellative monoids \(H\) the authors consider the set of lengths of a given \(a\in H\) \[ L(a)=\{n\in\mathbb{N}\mid a\text{ has a factorization into \(n\) irreducible elements of }H\}. \] If \(L(a)\) is nonempty for every non-unit \(a\in H\), then \(H\) is called atomic. By a result of \textit{D. F. Anderson} and \textit{P. Pruis} [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 113, No. 4, 933-937 (1991; Zbl 0738.13018)] it is known that the limit \[ \lim_{n\to\infty}\tfrac{\sup L(a^n)}{n}\in\mathbb{R}^+_0\cup\{\infty\} \] always exists. In the present paper it is shown that there exist unique nonnegative rational numbers \(k^+\) and \(k^-\) such that the functions \(B^+(u):=\max L(a^n)-k^+n\) and \(B^-(n):=\min L(a^n)-k^-n\) are bounded. Furthermore, \(B^+(n)\) and \(B^-(n)\) are eventually periodic functions.