arXiv subjects

Doron Shafrir

Publications and source records attributed to Doron Shafrir.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Skolem-Mahler-Lech in rings of positive characteristic: a shorter proof and a multi-dimensional generalization

Let $R$ be a commutative ring and $f(a_1, \ldots, a_n) = \sum_{i=1}^k r_{i1}^{a_1} \cdots r_{in}^{a_n} m_i$ be a linear-exponential map over an $R$-module $M$. Dong and Shafrir (2026) showed that, when $\ell M = 0$ for some $\ell \in \mathbb{N}_{>0}$, the zero set of $f$ is the intersection of effectively computable $p$-normal sets, where $p$ ranges over the prime divisors of $\ell$. This generalizes an earlier theorem of Derksen and Masser (2012) on the solution set of $S$-unit equations over fields of positive characteristic. The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, we give a shorter proof of Dong and Shafrir's result, using the theorem of Derksen-Masser as a blackbox. Our proof also yields a decomposition of the zero set as a positive Boolean combination of affine transformations of zero sets of linear-exponential equations over fields. Second, we prove a multi-dimensional generalization of the Skolem-Mahler-Lech theorem over rings of finite characteristic. Specifically, we show that the zero set of every $n$-dimensional linear recurrence sequence over an $R$-module $M$ satisfying $\ell M = 0$ is the intersection of effectively computable $p$-normal sets (in $\mathbb{N}^n$), where $p$ ranges over the prime divisors of $\ell$. For example, this gives a decision procedure for whether two classical linear recurrence sequences have a common value over a ring of characteristic $p^a$ or $p^a q^b$, where $p$ and $q$ are primes.

math.NT↗

arXiv2026

The Skolem Problem in rings of positive characteristic

We show that the Skolem Problem is decidable in finitely generated commutative rings of positive characteristic. More precisely, we show that there exists an algorithm which, given a finite presentation of a (unitary) commutative ring $\mathcal{R} = \mathbb{Z}_{/T}[X_1, \ldots, X_n]/I$ of characteristic $T > 0$, and a linear recurrence sequence $(γ_n)_{n \in \mathbb{N}} \in \mathcal{R}^{\mathbb{N}}$, determines whether $(γ_n)_{n \in \mathbb{N}}$ contains a zero term. Our proof is based on two recent results: Dong and Shafrir (2026) on the solution set of S-unit equations over $p^e$-torsion modules, and Karimov, Luca, Nieuwveld, Ouaknine, and Worrell (2025) on solving linear equations over powers of two multiplicatively independent numbers. Our result implies, moreover, that the zero set of a linear recurrence sequence over a ring of characteristic $T = p_1^{e_1} \cdots p_k^{e_k}$ is effectively a finite union of $p_i$-normal sets in the sense of Derksen (2007).

cs.LO↗

arXiv2025

S-unit equations in modules and linear-exponential Diophantine equations

Let $T$ be a positive integer, and $\mathcal{M}$ be a finitely presented module over the Laurent polynomial ring $\mathbb{Z}_{/T}[X_1^{\pm}, \ldots, X_N^{\pm}]$. We consider S-unit equations over $\mathcal{M}$: these are equations of the form $x_1 m_1 + \cdots + x_K m_K = m_0$, where the variables $x_1, \ldots, x_K$ range over the set of monomials (with coefficient 1) of $\mathbb{Z}_{/T}[X_1^{\pm}, \ldots, X_N^{\pm}]$. When $T$ is a power of a prime number $p$, we show that the solution set of an S-unit equation over $\mathcal{M}$ is effectively $p$-normal in the sense of Derksen and Masser (2015), generalizing their result on S-unit equations in fields of prime characteristic. When $T$ is an arbitrary positive integer, we show that deciding whether an S-unit equation over $\mathcal{M}$ admits a solution is Turing equivalent to solving a system of linear-exponential Diophantine equations, whose base contains the prime divisors of $T$. Combined with a recent result of Karimov, Luca, Nieuwveld, Ouaknine and Worrell (2025), this yields decidability when $T$ has at most two distinct prime divisors. This also shows that proving either decidability or undecidability in the case of arbitrary $T$ would entail major breakthroughs in number theory. We mention some potential applications of our results, such as deciding Submonoid Membership in wreath products of the form $\mathbb{Z}_{/p^a q^b} \wr \mathbb{Z}^d$, as well as progressing towards solving the Skolem problem in rings whose additive group is torsion. More connections in these directions will be explored in follow up papers.

math.NT↗

arXiv2024

Sections of Submonoids of Nilpotent Groups

We show that every product of f.g.\ submonoids of a group $G$ is a section of a f.g.\ submonoid of $G{\times}H_5(\mathbb{Z})$, where $H_5(\mathbb{Z})$ is a Heisenberg group. This gives us a converse of a reduction of Bodart, and a new simple proof of the existence of a submonoid of a nilpotent group of class 2 with undecidable membership problem.

math.GR↗

arXiv2024

Is decidability of the Submonoid Membership Problem closed under finite extensions?

We show that the rational subset membership problem in $G$ can be reduced to the submonoid membership problem in $G{\times}H$ where $H$ is virtually Abelian. We use this to show that there is no algorithm reducing submonoid membership to a finite index subgroup uniformly for all virtually nilpotent groups. We also provide evidence towards the existence of a group $G$ with a subgroup $H<G$ of index 2, such that the submonoid membership problem is decidable in $H$ but not in $G$.

math.GR↗

arXiv2024

Bounded Generation of Submonoids of Heisenberg Groups

If $G$ is a nilpotent group and $[G,G]$ has Hirsch length $1$, then every f.g. submonoid of $G$ is boundedly generated, i.e. a product of cyclic submonoids. Using a reduction of Bodart, this implies the decidability of the submonoid membership problem for nilpotent groups $G$ where $[G,G]$ has Hirsch length $2$.

math.GR↗

arXiv2024

A saturation theorem for submonoids of nilpotent groups and the Identity Problem

If $M$ is a submonoid of a finitely generated nilpotent group $G$, and $MG'$ is a finite index subgroup of $G$, then $M$ itself is a finite index subgroup of $G$. If $MG'=G$, then $M=G$. This generalizes a well-known theorem for subgroups of finitely generated nilpotent groups. As a result, we give an algorithm for the Identity Problem in nilpotent groups.

math.GR↗