Infinite polynomial patterns in large subsets of the rational numbers

Fuente: arXiv
Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Ackelsberg, Ethan
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866916825269272576
author Ackelsberg, Ethan
author_facet Ackelsberg, Ethan
contents Inspired by a question of Kra, Moreira, Richter, and Robertson, we prove two new results about infinite polynomial configurations in large subsets of the rational numbers. First, given a finite coloring of $\mathbb{Q}$, we show that there exists an infinite set $B = \{b_n : n \in \mathbb{N}\} \subseteq \mathbb{Q}$ such that $$\{b_i, b_i^2 + b_j : i < j\}$$ is monochromatic. Second, we prove that every subset of positive density in the rational numbers contains a translate of such an infinite configuration. The corresponding results in the integers are both known to be false, so our results provide natural and relatively simple examples of combinatorial structures that distinguish between the Ramsey-theoretic properties of the rational numbers and the integers. The proofs of our main results build upon methods developed in a series of papers by Kra, Moreira, Richter, and Robertson to translate from combinatorics into dynamics, where the core of the argument reduces to understanding the behavior of certain polynomial ergodic averages. The new dynamical tools required for this analysis are a Wiener--Wintner theorem for polynomially-twisted ergodic averages in $\mathbb{Q}$-systems and a structure theorem for Abramov $\mathbb{Q}$-systems.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2506_19667
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Infinite polynomial patterns in large subsets of the rational numbers
Ackelsberg, Ethan
Combinatorics
Dynamical Systems
05D10 (Primary) 11B13, 37A15 (Secondary)
Inspired by a question of Kra, Moreira, Richter, and Robertson, we prove two new results about infinite polynomial configurations in large subsets of the rational numbers. First, given a finite coloring of $\mathbb{Q}$, we show that there exists an infinite set $B = \{b_n : n \in \mathbb{N}\} \subseteq \mathbb{Q}$ such that $$\{b_i, b_i^2 + b_j : i < j\}$$ is monochromatic. Second, we prove that every subset of positive density in the rational numbers contains a translate of such an infinite configuration. The corresponding results in the integers are both known to be false, so our results provide natural and relatively simple examples of combinatorial structures that distinguish between the Ramsey-theoretic properties of the rational numbers and the integers. The proofs of our main results build upon methods developed in a series of papers by Kra, Moreira, Richter, and Robertson to translate from combinatorics into dynamics, where the core of the argument reduces to understanding the behavior of certain polynomial ergodic averages. The new dynamical tools required for this analysis are a Wiener--Wintner theorem for polynomially-twisted ergodic averages in $\mathbb{Q}$-systems and a structure theorem for Abramov $\mathbb{Q}$-systems.
title Infinite polynomial patterns in large subsets of the rational numbers
topic Combinatorics
Dynamical Systems
05D10 (Primary) 11B13, 37A15 (Secondary)
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.19667