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Approximate a continuous function on ${\mathbb{Z}}_p$ uniformly by a function constant on residue classes modulo $p^r$. On this finite space, translation $S$ satisfies $S^{p^r}=I$, so ${\Delta }^{p^r}=(S-I{)}^{p^r}$ has every matrix coefficient divisible by $p$. Hence $\Vert {\Delta }^{j{p}^r}\Vert \le p^{-j}$, and the Mahler coefficients of a locally constant function tend to zero. Since $|a_n(f)-a_n(g){|}_p\le \Vert f-g{\Vert }_{\infty }$, uniform approximation proves the assertion for every continuous function. This completes the coefficient-decay part of the Mahler theorem.

The Mahler coefficients tend to zero, so the displayed series defines a continuous function and has value zero at zero. The Pascal's identity and uniform convergence give $\Delta Jf=f$. Thus the forward difference operator is surjective on continuous functions on the p-adic integers. Its kernel consists of constants: period one implies agreement on the dense nonnegative integers, and continuity then implies constancy. This selects the unique discrete antiderivative vanishing at zero.

There is also a direct construction on locally constant functions. If $h$ has period $M=p^r$, put $a_j=h(j)$, $S={\sum }_{i=0}^{M-1}{a}_i$, and $P_j={\sum }_{i<j}{a}_i$. For $x=j+My$ with $0\le j<M$ and $y\in {\mathbb{Z}}_p$, setThis is a continuous function on each residue class. Increasing $j$ gives $Jh(x+1)-Jh(x)=a_j$; at $j=M-1$, the next point has residue zero and quotient $y+1$, giving the same identity. The ultrametric inequality gives $\Vert Jh{\Vert }_{\infty }\le \Vert h{\Vert }_{\infty }$, and $Jh(0)=0$. The construction is independent of the chosen period, since two normalized discrete antiderivatives agree on the nonnegative integers and then on the p-adic integers by continuity. It is linear on the locally constant functions, which form a dense subset in the supremum norm. Completeness therefore extends it to every continuous function, retaining $\Delta J=I$ and the norm bound. This proves surjectivity without first using the Mahler theorem.

For the Mahler coefficients of a continuous function on the p-adic integers, finite binomial inversion gives $c_n={\sum }_{j=0}^n(-1{)}^{n-j}(\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{n}{j})f(j)$. Equivalently their exponential generating function is the displayed identity in the formal power-series ring ${\mathbb{Q}}_p[[T]]$. Each coefficient involves only finitely many terms; no claim of convergence for every $p$-adic value of $T$ is needed.

The locally constant function equal to one on $2{\mathbb{Z}}_2$ and minus one on its other coset has Mahler coefficients $a_n=(-2{)}^n$: at nonnegative integers its values are $(-1{)}^j$, so the forward difference operator multiplies it by $-2$. Since $|a_n{|}_2=2^{-n}$ and the binomial polynomials have absolute value at most one on the 2-adic integers, the series converges uniformly. The binomial theorem verifies its values on the nonnegative integers, and continuity extends the identity to the entire domain.

For a profinite abelian group $G$, its Iwasawa algebra is the completed group algebrawhere $U$ runs over open subgroups. The transition map sums the coefficients over the fibers of $G/V\to G/U$ when $V\subset U$. Consequently an element gives compatible values $\mu (gU)\in {\mathbb{Z}}_p$ on cosets, equivalently a finitely additive ${\mathbb{Z}}_p$-valued p-adic measure on the clopen sets of $G$. Conversely these values specify every finite-quotient coefficient. Integration of a continuous function with values in ${\mathbb{Z}}_p$ is obtained by uniform approximation by locally constant functions; the integrals converge because all measure values have $p$-adic absolute value at most $1$. Multiplication in the Iwasawa algebra becomes convolution of p-adic measures. This is its measure realization of an Iwasawa algebra.

The Mahler theorem states that each continuous function $g:{\mathbb{Z}}_p\to {\mathbb{Z}}_p$ has the unique expansion converging in the sense of uniform convergenceIts Mahler coefficients areand $\Vert g{\Vert }_{\infty }={\sup }_n|b_n{|}_p$. The same assertion holds for continuous functions with values in ${\mathbb{Q}}_p$ with coefficients in ${\mathbb{Q}}_p$.

Given $f(T)={\sum }_{n\ge 0}{a}_n{T}^n\in R$, define the bounded linear functionalThe sum converges because $a_n\in {\mathbb{Z}}_p$ and $b_n\to 0$. Its values on indicator functions of clopen sets give a p-adic measure, denoted $\lambda (f)$, withConversely, a p-adic measure determines these coefficients $a_n\in {\mathbb{Z}}_p$, and continuity allows termwise integration of every Mahler expansion. Thus the inverse iswhich is the Amice transform. These two constructions are inverse, proving the canonical bijection $\lambda :R\simeq \Lambda ({\mathbb{Z}}_p)$. In fact it is an isomorphism of rings: the identity $\left(\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{x+y}{n}\right)={\sum }_{i+j=n}\left(\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{x}{i}\right)\left(\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{y}{j}\right)$ identifies convolution of p-adic measures with multiplication of formal power series. For example, $\lambda (1)={\delta }_0$ and $\lambda (1+T)={\delta }_1$, where ${\delta }_a$ is the Dirac measure at $a$.

For the moment identity, let $\left\{\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{k}{n}\right\}$ denote a Stirling number of the second kind. The finite polynomial identitygives $\int x^{k}d\lambda (f)={\sum }_{n=0}^k{a}_{n}n!\left\{\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{k}{n}\right\}$. On the other hand, $D=(1+T)d/dT$ satisfies $D^k(1+T{)}^x=x^k(1+T{)}^x$ for every nonnegative integer $x$. Expanding $(1+T{)}^x$ and evaluating at $T=0$ yieldsComparison in the basis of binomial polynomials gives $(D^k{T}^n)(0)=n!\left\{\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{k}{n}\right\}$. Terms with $n>k$ have zero constant term after at most $k$ differentiations, so no infinite-series interchange is needed. ThereforeThe case $k=0$ says that the total mass is $f(0)$.

Let $c_n$ be the Mahler coefficients of $f$. Define its discrete antiderivative byBecause $c_n\to 0$ and the binomial polynomials have field absolute value at most one on ${\mathbb{Z}}_p$, this series converges uniformly to a continuous ${\mathbb{Z}}_p$-valued function. Every summand vanishes at zero. Pascal's identity gives $\left(\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{x+1}{n+1}\right)-\left(\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{x}{n+1}\right)=\left(\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{x}{n}\right)$, so taking differences through the uniformly convergent series proves $g(x+1)-g(x)=f(x)$. For nonnegative integers, induction from $g(0)=0$ gives precisely $g(m)={\sum }_{j=0}^{m-1}f(j)$. Thus this is the required continuous extension, unique because the nonnegative integers are dense in ${\mathbb{Z}}_p$.

The Mahler expansion of $g$ has coefficient zero in degree zero and coefficient $c_{m-1}$ in degree $m\ge 1$. This discrete antidifferentiation on the p-adic integers is the mechanism behind the next part.

The Mahler theorem states that a function $f:{\mathbb{Z}}_p\to {\mathbb{Q}}_p$ is continuous if and only if it has a unique expansionand the expansion converges uniformly. Moreover $\Vert f{\Vert }_{\infty }={\sup }_n|c_n{|}_p$; in particular $f$ takes values in ${\mathbb{Z}}_p$ exactly when all $c_n$ belong to ${\mathbb{Z}}_p$. Here $\left(\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{x}{0}\right)=1$ and $\left(\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{x}{n}\right)=x(x-1)\cdots (x-n+1)/n!$. These binomial polynomials are continuous and integer-valued on ${\mathbb{Z}}_p$, since they are integer-valued on the dense nonnegative integers. The coefficient condition $c_n\to 0$ therefore makes the series uniformly convergent.

Evaluate at a nonnegative integer $m$. Terms with $n>m$ vanish, giving the finite triangular relation $f(m)={\sum }_{n=0}^m\left(\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{m}{n}\right)c_n$. Binomial inversion gives the Mahler coefficientsTo obtain the generating function, multiply the last finite identity by $T^n/n!$ and compare coefficients. Setting $n=j+k$ yieldsThe Mahler coefficient exponential generating function is an identity in ${\mathbb{Q}}_p[[T]]$: each coefficient is a finite sum. It does not assert convergence for every $p$-adic substitution for $T$.

The two cosets of $2{\mathbb{Z}}_2$ are clopen sets in the 2-adic integers. The function is constant on each, so it is a locally constant function and therefore continuous. Its values on the nonnegative integers are $f(j)=(-1{)}^j$.

The Mahler coefficient at index $n$ is the nth forward difference operator applied at zero. HereThus the Mahler expansion of the parity function isTo verify the expansion directly, each binomial polynomial $\left(\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{x}{n}\right)$ takes values in ${\mathbb{Z}}_2$: it does so at nonnegative integers, which form a dense subset, and polynomial evaluation is continuous into ${\mathbb{Q}}_2$. Hence the nth summand has 2-adic absolute value at most $2^{-n}$ throughout the domain. The ultrametric inequality proves uniform convergence, and the sum is continuous. At each nonnegative integer $m$, the series becomes the finite binomial theorem identity $(1-2{)}^m=(-1{)}^m$. Equality on a dense subset and continuity prove equality everywhere. Finally, the coefficients in any such expansion are determined successively by its values at $0,1,2,\dots$, since $\left(\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{m}{n}\right)=0$ for $n>m$ and $\left(\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{m}{m}\right)=1$. This also verifies uniqueness without needing the general Mahler theorem.

On continuous functions on the p-adic integers, define the forward difference operator and the Mahler coefficients byWriting $Sf(x)=f(x+1)$, the explicit iterate follows from ${\Delta }^n=(S-I{)}^n$. The ultrametric inequality and integral binomial coefficients imply $\Vert \Delta f{\Vert }_{\infty }\le \Vert f{\Vert }_{\infty }$ and $|a_n(f){|}_p\le \Vert f{\Vert }_{\infty }$, where the supremum norm is taken over ${\mathbb{Z}}_p$.

The Mahler theorem states that every such $f$ has a unique expansion with uniform convergenceConversely, every sequence in ${\mathbb{Q}}_p$ tending to zero yields a continuous function by this expansion. The binomial polynomials form an orthonormal expansion in the non-Archimedean sense: $\Vert f{\Vert }_{\infty }={\sup }_n|a_n(f){|}_p$.

Here is the requested proof under the permitted coefficient-decay assumption. For $n\ge 1$, the binomial polynomial $B_n(x)=x(x-1)\cdots (x-n+1)/n!$ is a continuous function on ${\mathbb{Z}}_p$. Its values on nonnegative integers are integral, and those integers are dense in the p-adic integers. Since ${\mathbb{Z}}_p$ is a closed set in ${\mathbb{Q}}_p$, $B_n({\mathbb{Z}}_p)\subseteq {\mathbb{Z}}_p$. Also $B_n(n)=1$, so $\Vert B_n{\Vert }_{\infty }=1$, including $B_0=1$.

If $a_n\to 0$, the ultrametric inequality gives the uniform tail boundCompleteness of ${\mathbb{Q}}_p$ gives a uniform limit $F$, and the uniform limit theorem makes $F$ continuous. At any nonnegative integer $m$, all $B_n(m)$ with $n>m$ vanish. Finite binomial inversion givessince the inner sum is $(1-1{)}^{m-j}$. Hence $F=f$ on a dense subset and therefore on all of ${\mathbb{Z}}_p$. The values at $m=0,1,2,\dots$ recover each coefficient recursively because $B_m(m)=1$; this proves uniqueness. The expansion bounds $\Vert f{\Vert }_{\infty }$ by $\sup |a_n{|}_p$, and the earlier coefficient inequality proves equality. This also proves the converse statement.

Although the problem allows us to assume decay, it can be established independently. By compactness and uniform continuity, approximate $f$ uniformly by $h$ constant on residue classes modulo $p^r$. On this finite-dimensional space, $S^{p^r}=I$ andThe matrix of ${\Delta }^{p^r}$ has entries divisible by $p$, so its operator norm is at most $p^{-1}$; consequently $\Vert {\Delta }^{j{p}^r+s}h{\Vert }_{\infty }\le p^{-j}\Vert h{\Vert }_{\infty }$ for $0\le s<p^r$. Thus $a_n(h)\to 0$. Since $|a_n(f)-a_n(h){|}_p\le \Vert f-h{\Vert }_{\infty }$, arbitrary uniform approximation proves automatic decay of Mahler coefficients.

For the last claim, construct the discrete antidifferentiation on the p-adic integersIts coefficient sequence is $0,a_0,a_1,\dots$, still tending to zero, so it is continuous. By Pascal's identity, $\Delta B_{n+1}=B_n$. The boundedness of $\Delta$ permits applying it to the uniform limit, giving $\Delta G=f$. For the stated linear map, invariance under translation by one now givesThus translation-invariant linear forms on p-adic continuous functions vanish:No continuity of $T$ has been assumed or used. In particular, one must not justify this by applying $T$ termwise to an infinite Mahler expansion; it is the existence of a continuous discrete antiderivative that makes the conclusion valid.