Searcharxiv⌕ Search

arXiv subjects

Pieter Moree

Publications and source records attributed to Pieter Moree.

100 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
arXiv2003

On the average number of elements in a finite field with order or index in a prescribed residue class

For any prime p we consider the density of elements in the multiplicative group of the finite field F_p having order, respectively index, congruent to a(mod d). We compute these densities on average, where the average is taken over all finite fields of prime order. Some connections between the two densities are established. It is also shown how to compute these densities with high numerical accuracy.

math.NT↗
arXiv2003

Value distribution of Ramanujan sums and of cyclotomic polynomial coefficients

The Ramanujan sum c_n(k) and a_n(k), the kth coefficient of the nth cyclotomic polynomial, are completely symmetric expressions in terms of primitive nth roots of unity. For fixed k we study the value distribution of c_n(k) (following A. Wintner) and a_n(k) (partly following H. Moller). In particular we disprove a 1970 conjecture of H. Moller on the average (over n) of a_n(k). We show that certain symmetric functions in primitive roots considered by the Dence brothers are related to the behaviour of c_{p-1}(k) and a_{p-1}(k) as p ranges over the primes and study their value distribution as well. This paper is an outgrowth of the M.Sc. thesis project of the second author, carried out under the supervision of the first author at the Korteweg-de Vries Institute (University of Amsterdam) and is written in M.Sc. thesis style. We gratefully acknowledge numerical assistance by Yves Gallot.

math.NT↗
arXiv2003

New Conjectures and Results for Small Cycles of the Discrete Logarithm

Brizolis asked the question: does every prime p have a pair (g,h) such that h is a fixed point for the discrete logarithm with base g? The first author previously extended this question to ask about not only fixed points but also two-cycles, and gave heuristics (building on work of Zhang, Cobeli, Zaharescu, Campbell, and Pomerance) for estimating the number of such pairs given certain conditions on $g$ and $h$. In this paper we give a summary of conjectures and results which follow from these heuristics, building again on the aforementioned work. We also make some new conjectures and prove some average versions of the results.

math.NT↗
arXiv2002

On some claims in Ramanujan's `unpublished' manuscript on the partition and tau functions

Towards the end of his life Ramanujan wrote a manuscript on properties of the partition and tau functions, some parts of which remained unpublished until very recently. Nevertheless, this manuscript gave rise to a lot of subsequent work. In it Ramanujan considers congruences for $τ(n)$ modulo some special primes q. He proves for example that $τ(n)\equiv \sum_{d|n}d^{11}({\rm mod}691)$. He defines $t_n=1$ if $τ(n)$ is not divisible by q and $t_n=0$ otherwise. He then typically writes: "It can be shown by transcendental methods that $$ \sum_{k=1}^n t_k=C\int_1^n {dx\over (\log x)^δ}+O({n\over (\log n)^r}). $$ where r is any positive number" (after stating some weaker estimates for the above sum). The number $δ$ is a positve rational number depending on q and for the positive number C Ramanujan usually wrote down an Euler product. In this paper it is shown that Ramanujan's claim for every $r>1+δ$ and each of the special primes q is false. Furthermore, we correct a 1928 paper of Geraldine Stanley who claimed to have disproved Ramanujan's claim in case q=5.

math.NT↗
arXiv2002

The hexagonal versus the square lattice

We establish Schmutz Schaller's conjecture that the hexagonal lattice is `better' than the square lattice. Schmutz Schaller (Bulletin of the AMS 35 (1998), p. 201), motivated by considerations from hyperbolic geometry, conjectured that in dimensions 2 to 8 the best known lattice sphere packings have `maximal lengths' and goes on to write: "In dimension 2 the conjecture means in particular that the hexagonal lattice is `better' than the square lattice. More precisely, let 0<h_1<h_2<... be the positive integers, listed in ascending order, which can be written as h_i=x^2+3y^2 for integers x and y. Let 0<q_1<q_2<... be the positive integers, listed in ascending order, which can be written as q_i=x^2+y^2 for integers x and y. Then the conjecture is that q_i<=h_i for i=1,2,3,..." Our proof requires computational prime number theory in combination with methods from a preprint of the first author (to appear in Math. Comp.), arXiv:math.NT/0112100.

math.NT↗
arXiv2001

Chebyshev's bias for composite numbers with restricted prime divisors

Let P(x,d,a) denote the number of primes p<=x with p=a(mod d). Chebyshev's bias is the phenomenon that `more often' P(x;d,n)>P(x;d,r) than the other way around, where n is a quadratic non-residue mod d and r is a quadratic residue mod d. If P(x;d,n)>=P(x;d,r) for every x up to some large number, then one expects that N(x;d,n)>=N(x;d,r) for every x. Here N(x;d,a) denotes the number of integers n<=x such that every prime divisor p of n satisfies p=a(mod d). In this paper we develop some tools to deal with this type of problem and apply them to show that, for example, N(x;4,3)>=N(x;4,1) for every x. In the process we express the so called second order Landau-Ramanujan constant as an infinite series and show that the same type of formula holds true for a much larger class of constants. In a sequel to this paper the methods developed here will be used and somewhat refined to resolve a conjecture from P. Schmutz Schaller to the extent that the hexagonal lattice is `better' than the square lattice (see p. 201 of Bull. Amer. Math. Soc. 35 (1998), 193-214).

math.NT↗
arXiv2001

On an invariant related to a linear inequality

Let A be an m-dimensional vector with positive real entries. Let A_{i,j} be the vector obtained from A on deleting the entries A_i and A_j. We investigate some invariant and near invariants related to the solutions E (m-2 dimensional vectors with entries either +1 or -1) of the linear inequality |A_i-A_j| < < A_i+A_j, where <,> denotes the usual inner product. One of our methods relates, by the use of Rademacher functions, integrals involving trigonometric quantities to these quantities.

math.RA↗
arXiv1999

Prime divisors of the Lagarias sequence

For integer a let us consider the sequence X_a={x_0,x_1,x_2,...} defined by x_0=a, x_1=1 and, for n>=1, x_{n+1}=x_n+x_{n-1}. We say that a prime p divides X_a if p divides at least one term of the sequence. It is easy to see that every prime p divides X_1, the sequence of Fibonacci numbers. Lagarias, using a technique involving the computation of degrees of various Kummerian extensions first employed by Hasse, showed in 1985 that X_2, the set of primes dividing some Lucas number has natural density 2/3 and posed as a challenge finding the density of prime divisors of X_3. In this paper we resolve this challenge, assuming GRH, by showing that the density of X_3 equals 1573727S/1569610, with S the so called Stephens constant. This is the first example of a `non-torsion' second order recurrent sequence with irreducible recurrence relation for which we can determine the associated density of prime divisors.

math.NT↗
arXiv1999

A two variable Artin conjecture

Let a and b be non-zero rational numbers that are multiplicatively independent. We study the natural density of the set of primes p for which the subgroup of the multiplicative group of the finite field with p elements generated by (a\mod p) contains (b\mod p). It is shown that, under assumption of the generalized Riemann hypothesis (GRH), this density exists and equals a positive rational multiple of the universal constant S=\prod_{p prime}(1-p/(p^3-1)). An explicit value of the density is given under mild conditions on a and b. This extends and corrects earlier work of P.J. Stephens (1976). Our result, in combination with earlier work of the second author, allows us to deduce that any second order linear recurrence with reducible characteristic polynomial having integer elements, has a positive density of prime divisors (under GRH).

math.NT↗