Discrepancy bounds for normal numbers generated by necklaces in arbitrary base

TL;DR

This paper establishes optimal discrepancy bounds for normal numbers generated by semi-perfect nested necklaces in arbitrary prime bases, extending previous results and exploring the limits of discrepancy in normal number constructions.

Contribution

It derives an upper discrepancy bound for semi-perfect nested necklaces and proves its optimality for Levin's normal numbers in any prime base, generalizing prior work.

Findings

Discrepancy bound for semi-perfect necklaces is optimal.

Levin's normal numbers in any prime base achieve the best possible discrepancy order.

The results suggest the potential for constructing normal numbers with smaller discrepancy bounds.

Abstract

Mordechay B. Levin has constructed a number $\lambda$ which is normal in base 2, and such that the sequence $(\left\{2^n \lambda\right\})_{n=0,1,2,\ldots}$ has very small discrepancy $D_N$. Indeed we have $N\cdot D_N = \mathcal{O} \left(\left(\log N\right)^2\right)$. This construction technique of Levin was generalized by Becher and Carton, who generated normal numbers via perfect nested necklaces, and they showed that for these normal numbers the same upper discrepancy estimate holds as for the special example of Levin. In this paper now we derive an upper discrepancy bound for so-called semi-perfect nested necklaces and show that for the Levin's normal number in arbitrary prime base $p$ this upper bound for the discrepancy is best possible, i.e., $N\cdot D_N \geq c\left(\log N\right)^2$ with $c>0$ for infinitely many $N$. This result generalizes a previous result where we ensured for the special example of Levin for the base $p=2$, that $N\cdot D_N =O( \left(\log N\right)^2)$ is best possible in $N$. So far it is known by a celebrated result of Schmidt that for any sequence in $[0,1)$, $N\cdot D_N\geq c \log N$ with $c>0$ for infinitely many $N$. So there is a gap of a $\log N$ factor in the question, what is the best order for the discrepancy in $N$ that can be achieved for a normal number. Our result for Levin's normal number in any prime base on the one hand might support the guess that $O( \left(\log N\right)^2)$ is the best order in $N$ that can be achieved by a normal number, while generalizing the class of known normal numbers by introducing e.g. semi-perfect necklaces on the other hand might help for the search of normal numbers that satisfy smaller discrepancy bounds in $N$ than $N\cdot D_N=O( \left(\log N\right)^2)$.