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For a positive integer $n$, let $a(n)$ the smallest number $k>0$ such that $-n$ is not a quadratic residue modulo $k$.

Using CRT, we can prove that all values of $a(n)$ are prime powers, and every prime power except $2$ appears in the sequence.

See OEIS A354597 .

It's easy to prove that $a(n)\leqslant4n-1$ (take a prime factor $p$ of $4n-1$ such that $p\equiv-1\,(\text{mod }4)$, then $-n$ is not a square modulo $p$).

But according to the figure below, it seems that we can improve the previous inequality !

How to proceed ?

Thanks !

Remark : This question has been asked previouly on math.SE but no response was given.

enter image description here

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This question is closely related to Linnik's problem on the least quadratic nonresidue for a given prime modulus.

Let us consider the quadratic Dirichlet character $\chi(m):=\left(\frac{-n}{m}\right)$ whose conductor divides $4n$. Assuming the Riemann hypothesis for $L(s,\chi)$, it follows from a result of Ankeny (see Theorems 1-2 here) that there is a prime $p=O((\log n)^2)$ such that $\chi(p)=-1$. That is, $-n$ is a quadratic non-residue modulo $p$, whence $a(n)\leq p$. We conclude that $a(n)=O((\log n)^2)$. The implied constants can be determined explicitly. The weaker Lindelöf hypothesis leads to the bound $a(n)<n^{o(1)}$, which is the analogue of Linnik's conjecture for the least quadratic nonresidue.

If we don't assume any unproven hypothesis for $L(s,\chi)$, the Pólya-Vinogradov inequality still ensures that $p<n^{\frac{1}{2\sqrt{e}}+o(1)}$, hence also that $a(n)<n^{\frac{1}{2\sqrt{e}}+o(1)}$. See Theorem 9.18 and Corollary 9.19 in Montgomery-Vaughan: Multiplicative number theory I. Furthermore, using Burgess's bound (see Theorem 2 here), the fraction $\frac{1}{2\sqrt{e}}$ in the exponent can be improved to $\frac{1}{4\sqrt{e}}$. Compare with Theorem 9.27 in the quoted book.

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    $\begingroup$ Thank you very much for your explanations ! I will study this. Do you think we can establish a more modest inequality (like $a(n)=O(\sqrt{n})$) by elementary ways ? $\endgroup$
    – uvdose
    Jul 20, 2022 at 12:10
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    $\begingroup$ @uvdose This might depend on what you call "elementary". The proofs of Theorem 9.18 and Corollary 9.19 in the book by Montgomery-Vaughan are elementary in the sense that they are short and they don't use more than what an undergraduate math major is supposed to know. $\endgroup$
    – GH from MO
    Jul 20, 2022 at 12:13
  • $\begingroup$ Ok, I will read this in detail. Thank you for giving your time ! $\endgroup$
    – uvdose
    Jul 20, 2022 at 12:19
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    $\begingroup$ One could also mention Erdös's result (link to original Hungarian paper) that 50% of primes have $2$ as their least (positive) quadratic nonresidue, 25% of primes have $3$, 12.5% have $5$, 6.25% have $7$, and so on. The same result would hold if we considered the greatest negative quadratic nonresidue. $\endgroup$ Jul 21, 2022 at 3:36

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