Modeling Random Walks to Infinity on Primes in $\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{2}]$
Abstract
An interesting question, known as the Gaussian moat problem, asks whether it is possible to walk to infinity on Gaussian primes with steps of bounded length. Our work examines a similar situation in the real quadratic integer ring whose primes cluster near the asymptotes as compared to Gaussian primes, which cluster near the origin. We construct a probabilistic model of primes in by applying the prime number theorem and a combinatorial theorem for counting the number of lattice points whose absolute values of their norms are at most . We then prove that it is impossible to walk to infinity if the walk remains within some bounded distance from the asymptotes. Lastly, we perform a few moat calculations to show that the longest walk is likely to stay close to the asymptotes; hence, we conjecture that there is no walk to infinity on primes with steps of bounded length.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.2011.07386,
title = {Modeling Random Walks to Infinity on Primes in $\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{2}]$},
author = {Bencheng Li and Steven J. Miller and Tudor Popescu and Daniel Sarnecki and Nawapan Wattanawanichkul},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2011.07386},
year = {2022}
}
Comments
21 pages, 12 figures, from Walking to Infinity Polymath REU