ON THE SYMMETRY OF DIVISOR SUMS FUNCTIONSIN ALMOST ALL SHORT INTERVALS

G. Coppola
DIIMA, University of Salerno, Fisciano, SA, ITALY

gcoppola@diima.unisa.it

Received: 4/23/03, Revised: 1/14/04, Accepted: 3/2/04, Published: 3/3/04

Abstract
def P
We study the symmetry of divisor sums functions σ−s (n) = d|n d−s (for σ = Re(s) > 0)in almost all short intervals; by elementary methods (based on the Large Sieve) we give anexact asymptotic estimate for the mean-square (over N < x ≤ 2N ) of their “symmetry sum”
Pdef|n−x|≤h sgn(n − x)σ−s (n) (here sgn(0) = 0 and sgn(t) = t/|t|, for t 6= 0).

1. Introduction and statement of the results.
In this paper we study the ”symmetry” in ”almost all short intervals” of the function
def X −sσ−s (n) =d,d|nwhere s ∈ C has real part σ > 0.
As usual, we say that something holds for ”almost all” short intervals [x − h, x + h], as
N < x ≤ 2N , if it’s true ∀x ∈]N, 2N ], with at most possibly o(N ) exceptions; and [x − h, x + h]is ”short” whenever h = h(N ) is increasing, h → ∞ and h = o(N ) as N → ∞.
In order to study the symmetry of distribution of σ−s (n) around x, as n ∈ [x − h, x + h], we
define, ∀s ∈ C with σ > 0, the ”symmetry sum”
defS ± (x) =X

sgn(n − x)|n−x|≤hX

d−sd|nand we estimate its mean-square over the segment N < x ≤ 2N , i.e. its ”symmetry integral”
def XIs (N, h) =x∼N|S ± (x)|2 .

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2

Here and hereafter x ∼ N means N < x ≤ 2N .
The problem of the estimation of this symmetry integral has its origin in a paper by Kaczorowski
and Perelli [KP(2)], where they give a conditional result for the estimate of the Selberg integral,i.e.
def

Z 2NJ(N, h) =N¯¯X¯2Λ(n) − h¯ dx.

x<n≤x+h(Here Λ(n) is the von-Mangoldt function: Λ(pα ) = log p, otherwise Λ(n) = 0.)This integral checks the deviations, on average, of the number of primes in the short interval[x, x + h] from its expected number; in fact, we can call PNT([x, x + h]) the ”Prime Number
XTheorem” in this short interval, i.e. the estimate
Λ(n) ∼ h; actually, writing a.a.x ∈x<n≤x+h[N, 2N ] to mean almost all, i.e. all, with at most o(N ) possible exceptions, it can be proved
thatJ(N, h) = o(N h2 ) ⇔ PNT([x, x + h]) a.a.x ∈ [N, 2N ].
The problem of PNT in almost all short intervals is very old and the actual state of the art isthat we can prove it whenever h = N 1/6−ε(N ) , where ε(N ) → 0 as N → ∞, see [Z1].
In passing, we remark that Zaccagnini has found, also, very important consequences of
non-trivial bounds for J(N, h) on the distribution of the zeros of the Riemann ζ function, see[Z2].
The estimate given by Kaczorowski and Perelli, then, enabled them to get J(N, h) = o(N h2 )in suitable ranges (hence PNT for a.a. short intervals), conditioned to non-trivial bounds forthe symmetry integral for the von Mangoldt function, i.e.
def X ¯Xx∼N|n−x|≤h¯I(N, h) =¯2sgn(n − x)Λ(n)¯(actually, their definition of I(N, h) is slightly different, but can be reduced to this one).
Hence, from non-trivial bounds for I(N, h) they get non-trivial bounds for J(N, h) (in [KP2],Theorem 2). They prove this link by a new form of the Riemann-von Mangoldt explicit formula,see [KP1]; actually, they find that the main term of the remainders in this formula (like, also,in the classic explicit formula) contains (a form of) the symmetry sum for Λ(n) .
As the problem of finding non-trivial estimates for the symmetry integral of Λ seems
hopeless, due to its apparent intractability, the author started to study other arithmetic functions; like d(n), the number of divisors of n, in [CS1], where by the Large Sieve the author andSalerno give asymptotics for the symmetry integral of d(n).

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3

This originated the study of, also, ω(n), the number of prime divisors of n, see [C1]; or eventhe study of the almost-all symmetry of a class of arithmetic functions, see [CS2].
Also, the author studied the problem of the symmetry of primes giving estimates for thesymmetry integral of averages of von Mangoldt functions (but very far from estimating thesymmetry integral for Λ, see [C2]).
We hope to study, in the future, the applications of our present estimates to mean values of
the Riemann zeta-function, like the moments of ζ(s).
Here we will give an asymptotic for the symmetry integral ofX
σ−s (n) =d−s ,d|nwhenever σ > 0 (if σ < 0, we ”flip” the divisors, like in Dirichlet hyperbola method).
1def

For Q = N 2+σ , let (hereafter kαk = minn∈Z |α − n|, the distance from integers)° °X µ(`) X 1 ° h °2° °.
Ds (N, h) = 2|ζ(1 + s)| N
2σ ° k °`2+2σkQ`≤Qk≤ `

def

Then we have (as usual, s = σ + it, σ, t ∈ R), abbreviating L = log N , the followingσ.
Theorem 1 Let s ∈ C with σ > 0. Assume that h = N θ , with 0 < θ < 1/2 and θ < 2+σThenIs (N, h) = Ds (N, h) + R(N, h),where, ∀σ > 0, R(N, h) = R(N, h, s) = o(N ); more precisely¢¡σσR(N, h) ¿s N hL2 N − σ+2 + hLN − 2σ+4 h−σ´³√σσR(N, h) ¿s N hL2 N − σ+2 + hL3/2 N − 2σ+4³´√σσR(N, h) ¿s N hL2 N − σ+2 + hLN − 2σ+4if σ < 1/2;
if σ = 1/2;
if σ > 1/2.

(Here the implied constant may depend on s, |s|, σ or t, even on all of them.)
We can also give a more explicit evaluation of the main term, by our next result, for which
we need the followingDefinition.
η(h)

∞ ° °
def X ° h °(s) =n=1° ° n−s .
°n°INTEGERS: ELECTRONIC JOURNAL OF COMBINATORIAL NUMBER THEORY 4 (2004), #A02

4Remark. We explicitly remark that this series converges ∀σ > 0, but to values (depending onh) that may grow to ∞, as h → ∞.
We’ll give the main properties of η (h) (s) while proving our1, weCorollary 1 In the same hypotheses of Theorem 1, if we suppose furthermore θ < 2(σ+2)
getµ µ¶¶1|ζ(1 + s)|2h(h)Is (N, h) = 2,+N η (2σ) + R(N, h) + Os N2σζ(2 + 2σ)
h2σ
N 2+σ

with the same bounds of Theorem 1 for R(N, h).
Remark. We emphasize that all the remainders in the Corollary are o(N ), as ensured by ourhypotheses on h.
The paper is organized as follows:• in section 2 we give an asymptotic version of the Large Sieve;• in section 3 we apply it to Theorem 1 and prove Corollary 1.

2. An asymptotic version of the Large Sieve.

Lemma 1 Let A, B and N be natural numbers, M be an integer and cj,d be complex numbers(∀j, d ∈N); assume that an > 0 ∀n ∈ N and define
def X
an χI(j,d,n) (x),αj,d (x) =n∈N

where I(j, d, n) is an interval whose endpoints depend on these three (integer) variables andχI(j,d,n) (x) indicates its characteristic function; then¯¯2¯ B
¯B X
M+NXX
¯ X X∗¯∗22¯¯αj,d (x)cj,d ed (jx)¯ =|cj,d ||αj,d (x)|¯¯
x=M +1 ¯d=A j≤dx=M +1
d=A j≤d
M+NX

+O α2 B 2 log B

B XX

|cj,d |  ,2

d=A j≤dwith (α > 0)
def

α=max

M <x≤M +Nj,d|αj,d (x)| ¿ 1.

(Here the implied constant depends at most on A, B, M, N ).
For the proof, see [CS1] (also, compare [B]).

INTEGERS: ELECTRONIC JOURNAL OF COMBINATORIAL NUMBER THEORY 4 (2004), #A0253. Proof of Theorem 1 and of Corollary 1.
X

def

Proof of Theorem 1. Let χq (x) =√sgn(n − x) and, for h = o( N ),|n−x|≤hn≡0( mod q)

Xdef

Sf± (x) =sgn(n − x)|n−x|≤h=

XX µsgn(n − x)|n−x|≤hd−s+³ n ´−s ¶d√d≤ x³Xd−s =d|nd|n√d≤ nX −s=d χd (x) +Xm−s sgn m −µ+ Os Nx´d−σ/2 + OsÃµ¶¶h√ +1N!
√(h/ N + 1)2
σN2|m− xd |≤ hd³´³ x ´−s ¶X µ=d−s +χd (x) + Os N −σ/2 ,d√d≤ xsay; changing name to the variables:ÃXdefΣ(x) =µ ¶−s !
xq −s +
χq (x).
q√q≤ x

Before to apply the Large-Sieve we need to rearrange χq (x) exponential sum, using its Fourier
coefficients property cat,bt = 1t ca,b (due to the fact that dcj,d depends only upon j/d; also, themean-value cd,d is 0)
χq (x) =XX X

cj,q eq (jx) =j<qd|qcj,q eq (jx) =j<q(j,q)=dd|qX  X (nd)−sΣ(x) =√d≤ x=√n≤ dxX√d≤ 2N

defqcj,d ed (jx).

j≤d(j,d)=1

HenceXd X

αd (x) = d−s−s+ (x/(nd))
n X∗
cj,d ed (jx)j≤dX∗
αd (x)
cj,d ed (jx),say, where:

j≤dX
√n≤

xd1n+1+s³ x ´−s Xd√n≤ dx

1n1−s.

By partial summationÃµ √ ¶σ−1 !
√1x( x/d)s=;+O+ 1 + |s| +1−sns|s|d√xXn≤ d1

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also, since σ > 0,X√n≤whence, uniformly for all d ≤xd√µ1n= ζ(1 + s) + O
1+s1σµd√x6¶σ ¶,x and uniformly ∀x ∈ [N, 2N ], we have·µ¸¶1ζ(1 + s)1−σαd (x) =+O N 2++ 1 + |s| .
ds
σ |s|Also, in the same range (and same uniformities) we get the boundαd (x) ¿s d−σ(recall σ > 0).

In the following, the symbol Os or, equivalently, ¿s , mean a dependence on s and/or on
related quantities, like |s|, σ or t.
Finally, we compute (in the same uniformity ranges)|αd (x)|2 =¡σ¢|ζ(1 + s)|2+ Os d−σ N − 2 .
2σdThen, in order to use our Lemma 1, we split the range of the moduli d:Σ(x) = Σ1 (x) + Σ2 (x),say, wheredef X

Σ1 (x) =X∗αd (x)d≤QdefΣ2 (x) =cj,d ed (jx)andj≤dXX∗√Q<d≤ 2N

αd (x)

cj,d ed (jx).

j≤dBy Lemma 1X|Σ1 (x)|2 =x∼NX X∗


XXX
222|cj,d ||αd (x)| + O Q2 L|cj,d | x∼Nd≤Q j≤dd≤Q j≤d° °X
X X µ(`) ° h` ° X |ζ(1 + s)|2σ° °+ Os N 1− 2 hd−σ−1 =2`2 ° d °d2σd≤Q `|dx∼Nd≤Q+O Q2 LX hd≤Qd¢¡¢σ= Ds (N, h) + Os N 1− 2 h + O Q2 hL2 ,¡INTEGERS: ELECTRONIC JOURNAL OF COMBINATORIAL NUMBER THEORY 4 (2004), #A02

7

whose main term (Ds stands for ”Diagonal depending on s”) is, say,°
X µ(`) X 1 °°h°
def2° °.
Ds (N, h) = 2|ζ(1 + s)| N`2+2σk 2σ ° k °Q`≤Qk≤ `Here, we remark that the form in which we write the diagonal ”may change”, due to differences in small remainders.
Again by Lemma 1 we have (let α = Q−σ , this time)µ¶XX1h−σ −σ/2+ Q−σ N L|Σ2 (x)|2 ¿s N+dN
2σdd√x∼NQ<d≤ 2NX√Q<d≤ 2Nhd¿s N hQ−σ L2 .
Then, we choose Q optimally, by equating the remainders of non-diagonal terms ofPwith these last, due to|Σ2 |2 :Q2 hL2 = N hQ−σ L2 ,whenceXx∼N|Σ1 (x)|2 +Xi.e.

P|Σ1 |21Q = N σ+2 ,¡σ ¢|Σ2 (x)|2 = Ds (N, h) + Os N hL2 N − σ+2 .

x∼NIn order to apply Cauchy inequality (to the x-mean of Σ1 (x)Σ2 (x)), we need an upper boundfor Ds .
It is now clear that
Ds (N, h) ¿s N h1−2σ ,∀σ ∈]0, 1/2[ ;Ds (N, h) ¿s N L,

σ = 1/2;

Ds (N, h) ¿s N,∀σ > 1/2.

By the previous estimates on the mean-squares of Σ1 (x) and Σ2 (x) we then get, by applying
Cauchy inequality,¯¯¯X¯¢¡σσ1¯¯2|Σ(x)|−D(N,h)¯¯ ¿s N hL2 N − σ+2 + hLN − 2σ+4 h−σ , ∀σ ∈]0, [ ;s¯¯2x∼N¯¯¯X¯´³√σσ¯¯|Σ(x)|2 − Ds (N, h)¯ ¿s N hL2 N − σ+2 + hL3/2 N − 2σ+4 , σ = 1/2;¯¯¯x∼N¯¯¯X¯´³√σσ¯¯|Σ(x)|2 − Ds (N, h)¯ ¿s N hL2 N − σ+2 + hLN − 2σ+4 , ∀σ > 1/2.
¯¯¯x∼NINTEGERS: ELECTRONIC JOURNAL OF COMBINATORIAL NUMBER THEORY 4 (2004), #A02

8Finally, we get Theorem 1, by Cauchy inequality for our earlier estimate:³√ √´XX|S ± (x)|2 =|Σ(x)|2 + O
N h N 1−σ = Ds (N, h) + R(N, h),x∼Nx∼N

where R(N, h) satisfies the same three bounds (one for each σ-range) as above.

Proof of Corollary 1.
We first want to render Ds independent of Q; this is accomplished by our hypotheses on h,√which give (in particular) h = o( Q).
In fact, under this assumption we get° °° °X µ(`) X 1 ° h ° X µ(`) X 1 ° h °¡¢° °=° ° + Os h−2σ°°°°2+2σ2σ2+2σ2σ`kk`kkQQ`≤Qk≤ ``≤hk≤ `1and this last sum is, by the choice Q = N 2+σ ,° °µ¶
∞X µ(`) X°
h1 °° h ° + Os=
`2+2σk 2σ ° k °Q2σ`≤h

k=1

µ=

1+ Os
ζ(2 + 2σ)µ¶¶1h1+2σ³´2ση (h) (2σ) + Os hN − 2+σ ,say, where ∀σ > 0η(h)°° °
X 1 °°h°
1 °h°°° + Os (h1−2σ ) ¿s h.
°°(2σ) ==2σ ° n °2σ ° n °nnn=1∞
def Xn≤2h1Hence, by these last estimates, we get, ∀σ > 0, for h = N θ , 0 < θ < 2(σ+2)° °³´(h)X µ(`) X 1 ° h °2σ° ° = η (2σ) + Os h−2σ + hN − 2+σ`2+2σ
k 2σ ° k ° ζ(2 + 2σ)`≤Qk≤ Q`

whence, in the same hypotheses,µ¶1|ζ(1 + s)|2h(h)Ds (N, h) = 2.
N η (2σ) + Os N 2σ + N2σζ(2 + 2σ)hN 2+σWe explicitly remark that the remainders are o(N ), as N → ∞, as ensured by one of ourσassumptions on h, namely θ < 2+σ.
As an application, if h is odd, we get (see above)η (h) (2σ) >121+2σINTEGERS: ELECTRONIC JOURNAL OF COMBINATORIAL NUMBER THEORY 4 (2004), #A02

whence, as N → ∞Ds (N, h) ≥91 |ζ(1 + s)|2N.
22σ ζ(2 + 2σ)

The previous explicit expression of Ds proves our Corollary 1.
References[B] Bombieri, E. - Le Grande Crible dans la theorie analitique des nombres - Asterisque 18,
Societè mathematique de France 1974. MR 51 #8057[C1] Coppola, G. - On the symmetry of distribution of the prime-divisors function in almost allshort intervals - to appear.
[C2] Coppola, G. - On the symmetry of primes in almost all short intervals - to appear onRicerche di Matematica.
[CS1] Coppola, G. and Salerno, S. - On the symmetry of the divisor function in almost all shortintervals - to appear on Acta Arithmetica.
[CS2] Coppola, G. and Salerno, S. - On the symmetry of arithmetical functions in almost all shortintervals - to appear.
[KP1] Kaczorowski, J. and Perelli, A. - A new form of the Riemann-von Mangoldt explicit formula- Boll. Unione Matematici Italiani B 10 (1996), no. 1, 51-66. MR 97g : 11098[KP2] Kaczorowski, J. and Perelli, A. - On the distribution of primes in short intervals - J. Math.
Soc. Japan 45 (1993), no. 3, 447-458. MR 94e : 11100[Z1] Zaccagnini, A. - Primes in almost all short intervals - Acta Arith.
225-244. MR 2001k : 11105

84 (1998), no. 3,[Z2] Zaccagnini, A. - A conditional density theorem for the zeros of the Riemann zeta-function- Acta Arith. 93 (2000), no. 3, 293-301. MR 2001k : 11166