On Intersections of Cantor Sets: Self-Similarity

Steen Pedersen, Jason D. Phillips

Published 2012-05-11, updated 2012-06-28Version 2

Let C be a Cantor set. For a real number t let C+t be the translate of C by t, We say two real numbers s,t are equivalent if the intersection of C and C+s is a translate of the intersection of C and C+t. We consider a class of Cantor sets determined by similarities with one fixed positive contraction ratio. For this class of Cantor set, we show that an "initial segment" of the intersection of C and C+t is a self-similar set with contraction ratios that are powers of the contraction ratio used to describe C as a self- similar set if and only if t is equivalent to a rational number. Our results are new even for the middle thirds Cantor set.