English

A collection of metric Mahler measures

Number Theory 2014-08-22 v1

Abstract

Let M(α)M(\alpha) denote the Mahler measure of the algebraic number α\alpha. In a recent paper, Dubickas and Smyth constructed a metric version of the Mahler measure on the multiplicative group of algebraic numbers. Later, Fili and the author used similar techniques to study a non-Archimedean version. We show how to generalize the above constructions in order to associate, to each point in (0,](0,\infty], a metric version MxM_x of the Mahler measure, each having a triangle inequality of a different strength. We are able to compute Mx(α)M_x(\alpha) for sufficiently small xx, identifying, in the process, a function Mˉ\bar M with certain minimality properties. Further, we show that the map xMx(α)x\mapsto M_x(\alpha) defines a continuous function on the positive real numbers.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1408.4885,
  title  = {A collection of metric Mahler measures},
  author = {Charles L. Samuels},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1408.4885},
  year   = {2014}
}