Note on a paper by A. Granville and K. Soundararajan

In this note, we improve some results of Granville and Soundararajan on the distribution of values of the truncated random Euler product L(1,X;y):=_∏p?y(1−X⁻¹(p)/p), where the X(p) are independent random variables, taking the values ±1 with equal probability p/2(p+1) and 0 with probability 1/(p+1).     

On a generalization of the Selberg formula

In this paper, we prove a theorem related to the asymptotic formula for ψk(x;q,a) which is used to count numbers up to x with at most k distinct prime factors (or k-almost primes) in a given arithmetic progression . This theorem not only gives the asymptotic formula for ψk(x;q,a) (or Selberg formula), but has played an essential role, recently, in obtaining a lower bound for the variance of distribution of almost primes in arithmetic progressions.     

Explicit bounds for rational points near planar curves and metric Diophantine approximation

The primary goal of this paper is to complete the theory of metric Diophantine approximation initially developed in Beresnevich et al. (2007) [10] for C³ non-degenerate planar curves. With this goal in mind, here for the first time we obtain fully explicit bounds for the number of rational points near planar curves. Further, introducing a perturbational approach we bring the smoothness condition imposed on the curves down to C¹ (lowest possible). This way we broaden the notion of non-degeneracy in a natural direction and introduce a new topologically complete class of planar curves to the theory of Diophantine approximation. In summary, our findings improve and complete the main theorems of Beresnevich et al. (2007) [10] and extend the celebrated theorem of Kleinbock and Margulis (1998) [20] in dimension 2 beyond the notion of non-degeneracy.     

Distribution of primes and dynamics of the w function

Let P be the set of all primes. The following result is proved: For any nonzero integer a, the set a+P contains arbitrarily long sequences which have the same largest prime factor. We give an application to the dynamics of the w function which extends the “seven” in Theorem 2.14 of [Wushi Goldring, Dynamics of the w function and primes, J. Number Theory 119 (2006) 86-98] to any positive integer. Beyond this we also establish a relation between a result of congruent covering systems and a question on the dynamics of the w function. This implies that the answer to Conjecture 2.16 of Goldring's paper is negative. Two conjectures are posed.     

Representation of elements of a sequence by sumsets

In this note the method of [5] and a result from [3] are combined to treat the following classical problem: Given a finite setA and an infinite sequenceS (both inZ), what is the minimal number of elements ofA whose sum lies inS? We obtain an upper bound depending only on the densities ofA andS (but not on their arithmetic nature).     

Some new results on k-free numbers

In this paper we obtain an improved asymptotic formula on the frequency of k-free numbers with a given difference. We also give a new upper bound of Barban-Davenport-Halberstam type for the k-free numbers in arithmetic progressions.     

Irregularities in the distributions of primes in function fields

We adapt the Maier matrix method to the polynomial ring Fq[t], and prove analogues of results of Maier [H. Maier, Primes in short intervals, Michigan Math. J. 32 (1985) 221-225] and Shiu [D.K.L. Shiu, Strings of congruent primes, J. London Math. Soc. 61 (2000) 359-373] concerning the distribution of primes in short intervals.     

Around Pelikán’s conjecture on very odd sequences

Very odd sequences were introduced in 1973 by Pelikán who conjectured that there were none of length 5. This conjecture was disproved first by MacWilliams and Odlyzko [17] in 1977 and then by two different sets of authors in 1992 [1], 1995 [9]. We give connections with duadic codes, cyclic difference sets, levels (Stufen) of cyclotomic fields, and derive some new asymptotic results on the length of very odd sequences and the number of such sequences of a given length.     

On the solutions of a functional equation arising from multiplication of quantum integers

This paper is the first of several papers in which we prove, for the case where the fields of coefficients are of characteristic zero, four open problems posed in the work of Melvyn Nathanson (2003) [1] concerning the solutions of a functional equation arising from multiplication of quantum integers q[n]=qn−1+qn−2+?+q+1. In this paper, we prove one of the problems. The next papers, namely [002], [003] and [004] by Lan Nguyen, contain the solutions to the other 3 problems.     

An asymptotic formula for the t-core partition function and a conjecture of Stanton

For a positive integer t, a partition is said to be a t-core if each of the hook numbers from its Ferrers-Young diagram is not a multiple of t. In 1996, Granville and Ono proved the t-core partition conjecture, that at(n), the number of t-core partitions of n, is positive for every nonnegative integer n as long as t?4. As part of their proof, they showed that if p?5 is prime, the generating function for ap(n) is essentially a multiple of an explicit Eisenstein Series together with a cusp form. This representation of the generating function leads to an asymptotic formula for ap(n) involving L-functions and divisor functions. In 1999, Stanton conjectured that for t?4 and n?t+1, at(n)?at+1(n). Here we prove a weaker form of this conjecture, that for t?4 and n sufficiently large, at(n)?at+1(n). Along the way, we obtain an asymptotic formula for at(n) which, in the cases where t is coprime to 6, is a generalization of the formula which follows from the work of Granville and Ono when t=p?5 is prime.     

Integral solutions in arithmetic progression for y2=x3+k

Integral solutions toy ²=x ³+k, where either thex's or they's, or both, are in arithmetic progression are studied. When both thex's and they's are in arithmetic progression, then this situation is completely solved. One set of solutions where they's formed an arithmetic progression of length 4 had already been constructed. In this paper, we construct infinitely many sets of solutions where there are 4x's in arithmetic progression and we disprove Mohanty's Conjecture [8] by constructing infinitely many sets of solutions where there are 4, 5 and 6y's in arithmetic progression.     

Theoretical and empirical convergence results for additive congruential random number generators

Additive Congruential Random Number (ACORN) generators represent an approach to generating uniformly distributed pseudo-random numbers that is straightforward to implement efficiently for arbitrarily large order and modulus; if it is implemented using integer arithmetic, it becomes possible to generate identical sequences on any machine.This paper briefly reviews existing results concerning ACORN generators and relevant theory concerning sequences that are well distributed mod 1 in k dimensions. It then demonstrates some new theoretical results for ACORN generators implemented in integer arithmetic with modulus M=2^μ showing that they are a family of generators that converge (in a sense that is defined in the paper) to being well distributed mod 1 in k dimensions, as μ=log₂M tends to infinity. By increasing k, it is possible to increase without limit the number of dimensions in which the resulting sequences approximate to well distributed.The paper concludes by applying the standard TestU01 test suite to ACORN generators for selected values of the modulus (between 2⁶⁰ and 2¹⁵⁰), the order (between 4 and 30) and various odd seed values. On the basis of these and earlier results, it is recommended that an order of at least 9 be used together with an odd seed and modulus equal to 2^30p, for a small integer value of p. While a choice of p=2 should be adequate for most typical applications, increasing p to 3 or 4 gives a sequence that will consistently pass all the tests in the TestU01 test suite, giving additional confidence in more demanding applications.The results demonstrate that the ACORN generators are a reliable source of uniformly distributed pseudo-random numbers, and that in practice (as suggested by the theoretical convergence results) the quality of the ACORN sequences increases with increasing modulus and order.     

An arithmetic formula for certain coefficients of the Euler product of Hecke polynomials

In 1997 the author found a criterion for the Riemann hypothesis for the Riemann zeta function, involving the nonnegativity of certain coefficients associated with the Riemann zeta function. In 1999 Bombieri and Lagarias obtained an arithmetic formula for these coefficients using the “explicit formula” of prime number theory. In this paper, the author obtains an arithmetic formula for corresponding coefficients associated with the Euler product of Hecke polynomials, which is essentially a product of L-functions attached to weight 2 cusp forms (both newforms and oldforms) over Hecke congruence subgroups Γ₀(N). The nonnegativity of these coefficients gives a criterion for the Riemann hypothesis for all these L-functions at once.     

A differential equation satisfied by the arithmetic Kodaira-Spencer class

The arithmetic Kodaira-Spencer class of the universal elliptic curve was introduced in [A. Buium, Differential modular forms, J. Reine Angew. Math. 520 (2000) 95-167]; its reduction mod p was explicitly computed by Hurlburt [C. Hurlburt, Isogeny covariant differential modular forms modulo p, Compos. Math. 128 (1) (2001) 17-34]. In this paper the complicated expression of Hurlburt is shown to be the unique solution of a simple partial differential equation subject to a certain initial condition and weight condition.     

A remark on continued fractions with sequences of partial quotients

Given any infinite set B of positive integers , let τ(B) denote the exponent of convergence of the series . Let E(B) be the set . Hirst [K.E. Hirst, Continued fractions with sequences of partial quotients, Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 38 (1973) 221-227] proved the inequality and conjectured (see Hirst [K.E. Hirst, Continued fractions with sequences of partial quotients, Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 38 (1973), p. 225] and Cusick [T.W. Cusick, Hausdorff dimension of sets of continued fractions, Quart. J. Math. Oxford Ser. (2) 41 (1990), p. 278]) that equality holds in general. In [Bao-Wei Wang, Jun Wu, A problem of Hirst on continued fractions with sequences of partial quotients, Bull. London Math. Soc., in press], we gave a positive answer to this conjecture. In this note, we further show that the result in [Bao-Wei Wang, Jun Wu, A problem of Hirst on continued fractions with sequences of partial quotients, Bull. London Math. Soc., in press] is sharp.     

B-free numbers in short arithmetic progressions

Given a sequence B of relatively prime positive integers with the sum of inverses finite, we investigate the problem of finding B-free numbers in short arithmetic progressions.     

A Hardy field extension of Szemerédi's theorem

In 1975 Szemerédi proved that a set of integers of positive upper density contains arbitrarily long arithmetic progressions. Bergelson and Leibman showed in 1996 that the common difference of the arithmetic progression can be a square, a cube, or more generally of the form p(n) where p(n) is any integer polynomial with zero constant term. We produce a variety of new results of this type related to sequences that are not polynomial. We show that the common difference of the progression in Szemerédi's theorem can be of the form [nδ] where δ is any positive real number and [x] denotes the integer part of x. More generally, the common difference can be of the form [a(n)] where a(x) is any function that is a member of a Hardy field and satisfies a(x)/xk→∞ and a(x)/xk+1→0 for some non-negative integer k. The proof combines a new structural result for Hardy sequences, techniques from ergodic theory, and some recent equidistribution results of sequences on nilmanifolds.     

An Elementary Approach to the Twin Primes Problem

Hardy-Littlewood [4] conjectured an asymptotic formula for the number of prime pairs (twin primes) (p, p+2d) with p+2dy, where d N is fixed and y . Up to now, no one has been able to prove this conjecture, but employing Hardy-Littlewoods circle method, Lavrik [5] showed that in a certain sense this formula holds true for almost-all dy/2.In the present paper, we use a completely different method to prove Lavriks almost-all result. Our method is based on an elementary approach developed by Pan Chengdong [7] to the twin primes problem. By a slight modification of our method, we get a corresponding almost-all result for the binary Goldbach problem. From this, according to [3], we derive Vinogradovs [8] well-known Three-Primes-Theorem.     

On the low-lying zeros of Hasse-Weil L-functions for elliptic curves

In this paper, we obtain an unconditional density theorem concerning the low-lying zeros of Hasse-Weil L-functions for a family of elliptic curves. From this together with the Riemann hypothesis for these L-functions, we infer the majorant of 27/14 (which is strictly less than 2) for the average rank of the elliptic curves in the family under consideration. This upper bound for the average rank enables us to deduce that, under the same assumption, a positive proportion of elliptic curves have algebraic ranks equaling their analytic ranks and finite Tate-Shafarevich group. Statements of this flavor were known previously [M.P. Young, Low-lying zeros of families of elliptic curves, J. Amer. Math. Soc. 19 (1) (2005) 205-250] under the additional assumptions of GRH for Dirichlet L-functions and symmetric square L-functions which are removed in the present paper.     

On exponential sums over primes in short intervals

Let Λ(n) be the von Mangoldt function, x real and y small compared with x. This paper gives a non-trivial estimate on the exponential sum over primes in short intervals for all α ∈ [0,1] whenever . This result is as good as what was previously derived from the Generalized Riemann Hypothesis.