Quadratic discrepancy estimates for probability measures on the Heisenberg group

Abstract

We initiate the study of quadratic discrepancy for finite point sets on the Heisenberg group ${\mathbb{H}}^n$ with respect to upper Ahlfors regular probability measures. For a natural family of test sets given by left translations and dilations of cylindrically defined neighborhoods, we introduce an $L^2$-discrepancy and establish a Roth-type lower bound depending on the homogeneous dimension of ${\mathbb{H}}^n$. This result extends classical discrepancy estimates from the Euclidean and compact settings to a non-commutative, step-two nilpotent Lie group. It should be viewed as a first step toward the development of a discrepancy theory on the Heisenberg group.