3
$\begingroup$

In the Montgomery-Vaughan's paper ''The exceptional set in Goldbach's problem'', they estimate the following sum:

$$\displaystyle \max_{0<y\leq x}\max_{0<h\leq x} \left(h+\frac{x}{P}\right)^{-1}\bigl|\sum_{y-h<p\leq y}\chi(p)\log p\bigr|$$

supposing that $\chi$ is a primitive non trivial Dirichlet character of modulus $q\leq P=x^{\delta}$, with $\delta>0$. They say that such estimate follow from the analogous estimate given by Gallagher in the paper ''A large sieve density estimate near $\sigma=1$''. This is quite clear, but I wonder for a complete proof because I think that there are trouble with the fact that $y-h$ could be negative and with the dependence of $T$ by $x$ in the use of the explicit formula:

$$\sum_{n\leq x}\chi(n)\Lambda(n)=-\sum_{|Im(\rho)|\leq T}\frac{x^{\rho}}{\rho}+O\left(\frac{x\log^{2}(qx)}{T}\right) \,\,\,\,\,\text{with} \,\, T\leq x^{\frac{3}{4}}$$

Please, could anyone write some details on the estimate of the sum above? In particular, I don't understand why we can arrive to the following form:

$$\sum_{y-h<p\leq y}\chi(p)\log p\ll \sum_{|Im(\rho)|\leq T} y^{\beta-1}\min(y,h) +O\left(\frac{y\log^{2}(qy)}{T}\right)$$

as stated in the Montgomery-Vaughan's paper.

$\endgroup$

1 Answer 1

3
$\begingroup$

We fix $y\in (0,2x]$ and we consider first the estimate of $\sum_{\substack{y-h<n\leq y}} \Lambda(n)\chi(n)$: If $h>y$ from the explicit formula we get \begin{equation} \sum_{\substack{y-h<n\leq y}} \Lambda(n)\chi(n)=\sum_{\substack{0<n\leq y}} \Lambda(n)\chi(n)\ll \sum_{|Im(\rho)|\leq T} \frac{y^{\beta}}{|\beta|} +\frac{y\log^{2}(qTy)}{T}+y^{\frac{1}{4}}\log y, \end{equation} where $\beta=\Re(\rho)$. We are using the explicit formula: \begin{equation} \sum_{\substack{0<n\leq y}} \Lambda(n)\chi(n)=\sum_{|Im(\rho)|\leq T} \frac{y^{\rho}}{\rho} +\frac{y\log^{2}(qTy)}{T}+y^{\frac{1}{4}}\log y, \end{equation} supposing $q\leq x$, $T\geq 2$. Using the zero-free region in the form $|\beta|\gg \frac{1}{\log(qT)}$ we have that $\sum_{\substack{0<n\leq y}} \Lambda(n)\chi(n)\ll \sum_{|Im(\rho)|\leq T} y^{\beta}\log(qT) +\frac{y\log^{2}(qTy)}{T}+y^{\frac{1}{4}}\log y$. We find that \begin{equation} \max_{0<y\leq 2x}\max_{y<h\leq x}\frac{1}{h+\frac{x}{P}}\biggl|\sum_{\substack{y-h<n\leq y}} \Lambda(n)\chi(n)\biggr| \end{equation} $$\ll \max_{0<y\leq 2x}\log(qT)\sum_{|Im(\rho)|\leq T}\frac{y^{\beta}}{y+\frac{x}{P}}+\frac{y\log^{2}(qTy)}{T(y+\frac{x}{P})}+\frac{y^{\frac{1}{4}}}{(y+\frac{x}{P})}\log y$$ $$\ll \log(qT)\sum_{|Im(\rho)|\leq T}\max_{0<y\leq 2x}\frac{y^{\beta}}{y+\frac{x}{P}}+\frac{x\log^{2}(qTx)}{T}+\left(\frac{x}{P}\right)^{\frac{-3}{4}}\log x$$ $$\ll \log(qT)\sum_{|Im(\rho)|\leq T}\left(\frac{x}{P}\right)^{\beta-1}+\frac{x\log^{2}(qTx)}{T}+\left(\frac{x}{P}\right)^{\frac{-3}{4}}\log x,$$

If otherwise $h\leq y$ from the explicit formula we get \begin{equation} \sum_{\substack{y-h<n\leq y}} \Lambda(n)\chi(n)\ll \sum_{|Im(\rho)|\leq T} \biggl|\frac{y^{\rho}-(y-h)^{\rho}}{\rho}\biggr| +\frac{y\log^{2}(qTy)}{T}+y^{\frac{1}{4}}\log y. \end{equation} Since $$ \biggl|\frac{y^{\rho}-(y-h)^{\rho}}{\rho}\biggr|\leq\int_{y-h}^{y} t^{\beta-1}dt\leq\frac{y^{\beta}-(y-h)^{\beta}}{\beta}$$ we have \begin{equation} \max_{0<h\leq y}\frac{1}{h+\frac{x}{P}}\sum_{\substack{y-h<n\leq y}} \Lambda(n)\chi(n)\ll \log(qT)\sum_{|Im(\rho)|\leq T} \max_{0<h\leq y}\frac{1}{h+\frac{x}{P}}\left(y^{\beta}-(y-h)^{\beta}\right) \end{equation} $$+\frac{yP\log^{2}(qTy)}{xT}+\frac{P}{x}y^{\frac{1}{4}}\log y.$$ Finally we have $\max_{0<y\leq x}\max_{0<h\leq y}\frac{y^{\beta}-(y-h)^{\beta}}{h+\frac{x}{P}}\ll \left(\frac{x}{P}\right)^{\beta-1}.$ So we find that, in the case $0<h\leq y$, \begin{equation} \max_{0<y\leq 2x}\max_{0<h\leq y}\frac{1}{h+\frac{x}{P}}\biggl|\sum_{\substack{y-h<n\leq y}} \Lambda(n)\chi(n)\biggr| \end{equation} $$\ll \log(qT)\sum_{|Im(\rho)|\leq T}\left(\frac{x}{P}\right)^{\beta-1} +\frac{P\log^{2}(qTx)}{T}+Px^{\frac{-3}{4}}\log x.$$ The estimate for primes follow readily from this.

$\endgroup$

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.