Modular periodicity of the Euler numbers and a sequence by Arnold

Abstract

For any positive integer $q$, the sequence of the Euler up/down numbers reduced modulo $q$ was proved to be ultimately periodic by Knuth and Buckholtz. Based on computer simulations, we state for each value of $q$ precise conjectures for the minimal period and for the position at which the sequence starts being periodic. When $q$ is a power of $2$, a sequence defined by Arnold appears, and we formulate a conjecture for a simple computation of this sequence.