Max-min of polynomials and exponential Diophantine equations (Q962991)

In the first half of this paper, largely based on earlier work of \textit{R. Dvornicich, U. Zannier}, and the author [Acta Arith. 106, No. 2, 115--121 (2003; Zbl 1020.11018)], it is shown that for \(F \in {\mathbb Z}[x,y]\) one has \(\max_{x \in \mathbb Z \cap [-T,T]} \min_{y \in \mathbb Z} |F(x,y)| = o(T^{1/2})\) as \(T \to \infty\) if and only if there is a positive integer \(B\) such that \(\max_{x \in {\mathbb Z}} \min_{y \in \mathbb Z} |F(x,y)| \leq B\). This result is then used to study an exponential Diophantine equation. Let \(f, g \in {\mathbb Q}[x,y]\) and \(G \in ({\mathbb Q}[x,y] \setminus {\mathbb Q}[x]) \cup {\mathbb Q}\), let \(A \subseteq {\mathbb Z}\) have positive upper asymptotic density, and let \(b\) be a positive integer. Further suppose that for every \(\alpha \in A\) there exists \(y \in {\mathbb Z}\) such that \(f(\alpha, y)+g(\alpha,y)b^{G(\alpha, y)} = 0\). Then the author shows that for every \(\alpha \in A\) lying outside some set of zero upper asymptotic density, there exists \(h \in {\mathbb Q}[x]\) such that \(f(x,h(x))+g(x,h(x))b^{G(x,h(x))} \equiv 0\) and \(h(\alpha) \in {\mathbb Z}\).