arXiv · 2608.05191
Rigidity of Averages over the Two Largest Prime Factors
Abstract
Let \(P_1(n)\) and \(P_2(n)\) be the largest and second-largest distinct prime factors of \(n\), respectively. Alladi and Johnson asked whether there exists a bounded function \(f\) on the primes for which both limits \(\frac{1}{x}\sum_{2\le n\le x} f(P_1(n)) \longrightarrow \kappa_1\) and \(\frac{1}{x}\sum_{2\le n\le x} f(P_2(n)) \longrightarrow \kappa_2\) exist with \(\kappa_1\neq\kappa_2\), where we set \(f(P_2(n))=0\) when \(n\) is a prime power. We prove that this is impossible: convergence of the first average forces convergence of the second to the same limit. On the \(\log\log\)-scale, the two averages are expressed as convolutions with explicit Dickman kernels. The Fourier transform of the Dickman kernel associated with the \(P_1\)-average has no real zeros. Wiener's Tauberian theorem then yields vague convergence of the translated measures associated with the weighted prime sums. The convergence of the second average follows.
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Dijia Chen. 2026-08-02. Rigidity of Averages over the Two Largest Prime Factors. https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.05191
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