A new dynamical proof of the Shmerkin-Wu theorem

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Publication:2076562



Abstract: Let a<b be multiplicatively independent integers, both at least 2. Let A,B be closed subsets of [0,1] that are forward invariant under multiplication by a, b respectively, and let C:=AimesB. An old conjecture of Furstenberg asserted that any planar line L not parallel to either axis must intersect C in Hausdorff dimension at most maxdimC,1−1. Two recent works by Shmerkin and Wu have given two different proofs of this conjecture. This note provides a third proof. Like Wu's, it stays close to the ergodic theoretic machinery that Furstenberg introduced to study such questions, but it uses less substantial background from ergodic theory. The same method is also used to re-prove a recent result of Yu about certain sequences of sums.


Suppose \(a\) and \(b\), where \(1<a<b\), are multiplicatively independent integers and \(A,B\) are closed subsets of \([0, 1]\) such that are forward invariant under multiplication by \(a, b\) respectively, and also suppose that \(C:=A \times B\). The present paper is devoted to a new proof of the following theorem named as the Shmerkin-Wu theorem or the Furstenberg conjecture: Theorem. If \(L\) is any line not parallel to either coordinate axis, then \[ \dim_H (C \cap L) \le \max\{\dim_H (C), 1\} -1, \] where \(\dim_H(\cdot)\) is the Hausdorff dimension of a set. The special attention is given to known two proofs of the last theorem which were given by \textit{P. Shmerkin} [Ann. Math. (2) 189, No. 2, 319--391 (2019; Zbl 1426.11079)] and \textit{M. Wu} [ibid. 189, No. 3, 707--751 (2019; Zbl 1430.11106)]. Techniques of these proofs and some applications are briefly considered. Certain auxiliary notions and results of the geometric measure theory, are briefly described. One can note that a generalization of the Marstrand theorem and adic versions of the mass distribution principle are considered. A new proof of Yu's theorem on certain sequences of sums, is given. It is useful for illustrating the approach to the main proof. The third proof of the main theorem is presented with explanations.











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