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Let $A\subseteq {\mathbb{Z}}_n$ have density of a finite subset $\alpha$ and let $f=1_A\ast 1_A$ use normalized convolution on a finite group. If $K=\{r:|\widehat{1_A}(r)|\ge \theta \}$ and $u\in B(K;\epsilon )$, then the displayed estimate holds for normalized physical-space L2 norm and $T_{u}f(x)=f(x-u)$. The Bohr set controls the translation factors on the large spectrum; the fourth Fourier moment bound for an indicator function controls their total weight. Outside $K$, use $|1-e^{2\pi iru/n}|\le 2$ and Parseval identity on a finite group.

The positive-power length assertion is an asymptotic one: it requires $N$ sufficiently large in terms of the density. Read literally for every $N$, it fails when $N=2$, $\delta =1/2$ and $A=\{1\}$, whose triple sumset is a singleton. We prove the intended result with this necessary qualification and an explicit positive exponent.

Embed the interval into the cyclic group $G=\mathbb{Z}/M\mathbb{Z}$ with $M=8N$, and set $u=1_A$, $\alpha =|A|/M\ge \delta /8$. Since all integer triple sums lie in $[3,3N]$, this embedding introduces no collisions between distinct sums. Use normalized Fourier coefficients on a finite abelian group and normalized convolution on a finite group, and putThe function $F$ is nonnegative and has mean ${\alpha }^3$, so some $t_0$ satisfies $F(t_0)\ge {\alpha }^3$. We show that a whole translated Bohr set is contained in its positive support, hence in the triple sumset.

Put $\theta ={\alpha }^2/8$, $\rho =\alpha /4$, and define the large spectrumThe Parseval identity on a finite group gives ${\sum }_r|\hat{u}(r){|}^2=\alpha$, soAlso $|\hat{u}(r)|\le \alpha$, and therefore ${\sum }_r|\hat{u}(r){|}^3\le {\alpha }^2$. Using Fourier inversion and the convolution theorem on a finite group, for $b\in B$ we obtainConsequently $F(t_0+b)\ge {\alpha }^3/2>0$. This proves the translated Bohr neighborhood in a triple sumset:It remains to produce a long ordinary integer arithmetic progression in this translate; we supply the simultaneous approximation and the lifting argument. SetThus $d=|\Gamma |\le D$. Partition the $d$-dimensional unit cube into $Q^d$ boxes of side $1/Q$. The $Q^d+1$ pointscontain two in the same box by the pigeonhole principle. Their index difference gives an integer $q$ with $1\le q\le Q^d<M$ andIn particular $|e^{2\pi irq/M}-1|\le 2\pi /Q$. The identity $z^j-1=(z-1)(1+\cdots +z^{j-1})$ on the unit circle now shows thatAll residues $t_0+jq$ therefore lie in the triple sumset. Let $s_j\in [3,3N]$ be their actual integer representatives. Their successive differences are congruent to $q$ modulo $M$, and each lies in $[-(3N-3),3N-3]$, which is contained in $(-M/2,M/2)$. There is at most one integer in this interval in any specified residue class, so every difference $s_{j+1}-s_j$ is the same integer. It is nonzero because $0<q<M$. Thus the $s_j$ form an ordinary integer arithmetic progression of distinct elements, even though $M$ is composite. Reversing it if necessary makes the common difference positive.

For sufficiently large $N$, we have $Q\ge \frac{1}{2}{M}^{1/(D+1)}$ and $\rho \ge \delta /32$, whenceAbsorb this fixed prefactor by decreasing the exponent: withthe last lower bound is at least $N^{r_{\delta }}$ once $N$ is sufficiently large in terms of $\delta$. This proves a polynomial-length progression in $A+A+A$ by the polynomial-length progression in a dense triple sumset argument, without replacing the triple sumset by a fourfold difference set.

For the physical-space L2 norm use $\Vert h{\Vert }_2^2={\mathbb{E}}_x|h(x){|}^2$. By part (i) and the Parseval identity on a finite group,Split this sum into the large spectrum $K$ and its complement. Because $u$ belongs to the Bohr set in the question, for $r\in K$,Consequently the contribution from $K$ is at most ${\epsilon }^2{\sum }_r|\hat{a}(r){|}^4\le {\epsilon }^2{\alpha }^3$ by part (ii). Outside $K$, $|\hat{a}(r)|<\theta$, and $|1-{\omega }^{-ru}|\le 2$. Thus that contribution is at mostAdding the estimates provesThe argument also covers empty $A$ or empty $K$. As usual the radius and threshold are nonnegative; a negative radius makes the premise empty whenever $K$ is nonempty. The estimate expresses Bohr-set almost periodicity of a convolution: a translation of a function by an element of the Bohr set barely changes the large Fourier coefficients on a finite abelian group, while the small ones have little total energy.

Use normalized Fourier analysis on a finite abelian group. If $A\subseteq {\mathbb{F}}_2^n$ has density $\alpha$, its large spectrum at level $\rho >0$ isThe Chang theorem states that this spectrum is contained in a subspace of dimensionEquivalently, it is contained in the span of a dissociated set of that size.

For a subset $A$ of density $\alpha$ in a finite cyclic group, put $F=1_A\ast 1_A\ast 1_A$ using normalized convolution on a finite group. Its average is ${\alpha }^3$, so choose $t_0$ with $F(t_0)\ge {\alpha }^3$. Retain the large spectrum where $|\widehat{1_A}|\ge {\alpha }^2/8$. The Parseval identity on a finite group gives at most $64{\alpha }^{-3}$ frequencies. Their phases change by at most $\alpha /4$ on the associated Bohr set, contributing at most ${\alpha }^3/4$ to the change of $F$. The discarded frequencies contribute at most another ${\alpha }^3/4$, since $\sum |\widehat{1_A}{|}^2=\alpha$. Therefore $F(t_0+b)\ge {\alpha }^3/2>0$ on the Bohr set, proving the containment.