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Define $F(t)=\ln(t+1)$ for $t\geq 0$.

For each sequence of integers $ s=s_0s_1s_2...\in \mathbb Z^\omega$ define $$t^*_{ s}=\sup_{n\geq 0}F^{n}(|s_n|)$$ where $F^{n}$ is the $n$-fold composition of $F$.

Let $\sigma$ be the shift mapping on $\mathbb Z^\omega$; so $\sigma(s_0s_1s_2...)=s_1s_2s_3...$., and let $\sigma^k$ be the $k$-fold composition of $\sigma$.

Is the set $$\mathbb S:=\{s\in \mathbb Z^\omega:t^*_{\sigma^k(s)}\to\infty \text{ as }k\to\infty\}$$ an $F_{\sigma\delta}$-subset of $\mathbb Z ^\omega$? Assume $\mathbb Z$ is given the discrete topology and $\mathbb Z ^\omega$ has the product topology.

A positive answer to this question would imply that a certain set in complex dynamics is an Erdős space factor. See this paper, Remark 5.3 in particular, for more about this problem. Essentially a space $E$ is an Erdős space factor if $E\times \mathfrak E\simeq \mathfrak E$ where $\mathfrak E$ is the rational Hilbert space.

EDIT 10/26/20: I proved that the space from complex dynamics (mentioned above) is not an Erdős space factor, answering a question by Dijkstra and van Mill: link to paper. This result implies in particular that the set $\mathbb S$ is not $F_{\sigma\delta}$.

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  • $\begingroup$ It seems that you obtain $F_{\sigma\delta}$ writing down the definition of your set: $\bigcap_{n\in\mathbb N}\bigcup_{k\in\mathbb N}\bigcap_{m\ge k}\{s\in\mathbb Z^\omega:s(m)\ge n\}$. $\endgroup$ Jul 12, 2020 at 9:48
  • $\begingroup$ @TarasBanakh Your set is a proper subset of the one I wrote. For instance I believe the sequence $0,1,0,2,0,3,0,4...$ belongs to my set but not yours. $\endgroup$ Jul 12, 2020 at 16:14
  • $\begingroup$ The sequence of $t^*$'s for $0,1,0,2,...$ would be above the sequence $F^{1}(1), 1, F^{1}(2), 2, F^{1}(3),3, …$ which goes to $\infty$ $\endgroup$ Jul 12, 2020 at 16:41
  • $\begingroup$ @TarasBanakh I wonder if $t^*\to\infty$ is the same as saying that a subsequence of s goes to infinity? In this case, my set is probably not $F_{\sigma\delta}$. Assuming these sets are equal, how would you prove that? By the way, I have shown that the original set is both $F_{\sigma\delta\sigma}$ and $G_{\delta\sigma\delta}$. $\endgroup$ Jul 12, 2020 at 16:56
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    $\begingroup$ Definitely this is not the same as being unbounded, as suggested in the penultimate comment, just insert sufficiently long zero runs in the sequence $\mathbb{N}$. $\endgroup$
    – Ville Salo
    Jul 12, 2020 at 20:34

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Here's what I had in mind. Consider a $\Sigma^0_3$-set $$ T = \bigcup_{n \in \mathbb{N}} \bigcap_{m \in \mathbb{N}} \bigcup_{k \in \mathbb{N}} C_{n,m,k}. $$ where each $C_{n,m,k} \subset 2^\mathbb{N}$ is clopen. We show that there is a continuous map $f : 2^{\mathbb{N}} \to \mathbb{Z}^\omega$ such that $f^{-1}(S) = T$ where $$ S = \{s \in \mathbb{Z}^\omega \;:\; t^*_{\sigma^k(s)} \rightarrow \infty \text{ as } k \rightarrow \infty \} $$ is the set from the question. This proves that $S$ is not $F_{\sigma \delta}$, since that would imply all $\Sigma^0_3$ sets $T$ in $2^\mathbb{N}$ are $\Pi^0_3$.

You are at the concert. On the stage, there is a conductor and $\omega$ many cellists. The conductor is reading a point $x \in 2^\mathbb{N}$. Whenever she notices $x \in C_{n,m,k}$, the conductor cues the $n$th cellist to play the note $m$, assuming it hasn't been played before, and $n$ has played all the notes before $m$. Only one cellist plays at a time, there is a rest when all the events $x \in C_{n,m,k}$ visible so far are exhausted, and if $m$ cannot be played yet because previous notes have not been played, the conductor makes a note of it and it is played once they have. As you listen to these rising scales, you note that $x \in T$ if and only if one of the cellists plays the entire scale $\mathbb{N}$.

From this continuously revealed information you will construct the continuous function $f : 2^\mathbb{N} \to \mathbb{Z}^\omega$. The construction for $f(t) = s$ is thusly. We go through $\ell = 0, 1, ...$ and by default we just set $s_\ell = 100$ for all $\ell$. Whenever the $n$th cellist plays, we do as follows:

  • if one of the cellists $n' < n$ has played between the last time the $n$th cellist played (or the beginning of time if $n$ hasn't played anything) and the present time, then we set $s_{\ell} = 100$. As long as no cellist $n' < n$ plays again we ensure that also $t^*_{\sigma^\ell(s)} = 100$.
  • otherwise (if no cellist $n' < n$ has played between), then if the last time $n$ played we set $s_{\ell'} = 100+h$ then we now set such a high value at $s_\ell$ that we have $\lfloor t^*_{\sigma^{\ell'+1}(s)} \rfloor \geq 100+h+1$. Namely, set $s_\ell = \lceil \text{pexp}^{\ell-\ell'-1}(100+h+1) \rceil$ where $\text{pexp}(x) = \exp(x) - 1$. Note that in fact we get precisely $\lfloor t^*_{\sigma^{\ell'+1}(s)} \rfloor = 100+h+1$ because of basic properties of $\text{pexp}$. It also follows, because $\log (103 + h) < 100 + h$ and by induction, that we do not disturb any of the ensured values $t^*_{\sigma^\ell(s)} = 100$ for any $n' \leq n$: those were ensured before setting the value of $s_{\ell'}$.

Now suppose indeed $t \in T$, and some cellist plays infinitely many times. Then if the $n$th cellist is the first cellist that does, then the first item applies only finitely many times for $n$, and after that whenever we set $s_{\ell} = \text{pexp}^{\ell-\ell'-1}(100+h+1)$ we actually set $t^*_{\sigma^{\ell''}(s)} \geq 100+h+1$ for all $\ell'' \in [\ell'+1, \ell]$. So since $n$ plays infinitely many times, actually $t^*_{\sigma^{\ell''}(s)} \rightarrow \infty$ as $\ell'' \rightarrow \infty$.

Suppose then $t \notin T$. If the song is finite, obviously $\lim_\ell t^*_{\sigma^{\ell}(s)} = 100$. Otherwise, whenever $n$ plays for the last time, we have a new ensured value at which $t^*_{\sigma^{\ell}(s)} = 100$, thus $\liminf_\ell t^*_{\sigma^{\ell}(s)} \leq 100$.

An observation:

  • As far as I can tell all we are using is that $F$ is monotone, $F(h + 2) < h$ for $h \geq 100$ and that $\lfloor F^n(h) \rfloor \rightarrow \infty$ as $h \rightarrow \infty$ for any $n$, and the values range over $[100, \infty) \cap \mathbb{N}$. And I guess $100$ can be replaced by some other number (probably $1$ or $2$ for your function). Maybe I missed some axioms.

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Your set is not $G_{\delta \sigma}$ either. Namely, any $\Pi^0_3$ set $$ T' = \bigcap_{n \in \mathbb{N}} \bigcup_{m \in \mathbb{N}} \bigcap_{k \in \mathbb{N}} D_{n,m,k} $$ clearly continuously reduces to $$ S' = \{s \in \mathbb{Z}^\omega \;:\; \lim_i s_i = \infty\}. $$ To see this, for each $n$ separately go through $(m,k)$ in lexicographical order, advancing to the next $m$ when you observe the point is not in $D_{n,m,k}$. On step $\ell$, output $n$ if $m$ is updated for $n$, otherwise output $\ell$. This way you construct $g(t) \in \mathbb{Z}^\omega$ for $t \in 2^\mathbb{N}$.

Clearly $t \in T'$ if and only if $m$ is updated for each $n$ only finitely many times. If $m$ is updated infinitely many times for $n$, then the limit of $g(t)$ is at most $n$, while if $m$ is updated finitely many times for each $n = 0, 1, ..., N$ then $g(t)$ stays above $N$ from some point on.

Now it's easy to further reduce to your set, observing that if a sequence satisfies $|s_{i+1} - s_i| \in \{-1,0,1\}$ and $s_i \geq 100$ for all $i$, then $s \in S' \iff s \in S$. Just replace all jumps by arithmetic progressions.

By taking the coordinatewise minimum of this process and the above, I suppose we have

Every set of the form $A \cap B$ for $A \in \Sigma^0_3$ and $B \in \Pi^0_3$ continuously reduces to your set.

But I don't know if your set can be written as $C \cap D$ for $C \in F_{\sigma \delta}$ and $D \in G_{\delta \sigma}$.

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  • $\begingroup$ Thank you for your answers! I will try to understand soon. $\endgroup$ Jul 13, 2020 at 14:40

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