Complex-parameter extension of the Riemann Xi exponential-sum identity

From papers

Let xi(s)xi(s) be the Riemann Xi function, let g(s)=πs/2(s1)Γ(s/2+1)g(s)=\pi^{-s/2}(s-1)\Gamma(s/2+1), and let σa(n)\sigma_a(n) denote the generalized divisor function. For s0,aCs_0,a\in\mathbb C, choose σ\sigma satisfying

σ>max(Re(a)2,Re(s0),Re(1s0)).\sigma>\max\left(|\operatorname{Re}(a)|-2,\operatorname{Re}(s_0),\operatorname{Re}(1-s_0)\right).

Generalized Xi identity conjecture. For all s0Cs_0\in\mathbb C and all aCa\in\mathbb C,

ξ(s0)ξ(s0a)=12πin=1Re(s)=σσa(n)[g(s)g(sa)ss01ns+g(s)g(s+a)s1+s01ns+a]ds.\xi(s_0)\xi(s_0-a)=\frac{1}{2\pi i}\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}\int_{\operatorname{Re}(s)=\sigma}\sigma_a(n)\left[\frac{g(s)g(s-a)}{s-s_0}\frac{1}{n^s}+\frac{g(s)g(s+a)}{s-1+s_0}\frac{1}{n^{s+a}}\right]ds.

The identity is proved in the paper only in selected cases, notably positive odd aa among 1,3,51,3,5; the conjecture extends it to arbitrary complex aa and s0s_0.

Progress summary

Open

The arbitrary-complex-parameter identity remains a conjecture; only a few positive odd parameter cases are proved.

The conjecture asserts the displayed exponential-sum formula for every complex pair s0,as_0,a, subject to the stated contour condition. It is presented as Conjecture 1 in the source paper; no proposer or date is identified in the retrieved material.

Known results

  • The identity is proved for a=1a=1 and a=3a=3, for the permitted values of s0s_0 and $$.
  • The case a=5a=5 is also stated to hold, with the additional condition >3>3.
  • The corresponding exact exponential-sum identities are collected as Theorem 3 of the source paper.

Current status (as of August 2026): the cases a=1,3a=1,3 and the restricted case a=5a=5 are recorded as proved, while the extension to arbitrary complex aa and s0s_0 remains open.

Sources
Sources & referencesView supporting material

Primary source

Maria Nastasescu, Nicolas Robles, Bogdan Stoica and Alexandru Zaharescu, “The Riemann zeta function and exact exponential sum identities of divisor functions”, arXiv:2311.07657 (2023).

Solutions 1

Proof

Write

g(s)=πs/2(s1)Γ ⁣(s2+1),ξ(s)=g(s)ζ(s),σa(n)=dnda.g(s)=\pi^{-s/2}(s-1)\Gamma\!\left(\frac s2+1\right), \qquad \xi(s)=g(s)\zeta(s), \qquad \sigma_a(n)=\sum_{d\mid n}d^a.

The completed function ξ\xi is entire and satisfies

ξ(s)=ξ(1s).\xi(s)=\xi(1-s).

Fix arbitrary a,s0Ca,s_0\in\mathbb C and an admissible contour

σ>max{Rea2,Res0,1Res0}.\sigma>\max\{|\operatorname{Re}a|-2,\operatorname{Re}s_0,1-\operatorname{Re}s_0\}.

Choose

σ>max{1+Rea,Res0,1Res0}.\sigma'> \max\{1+|\operatorname{Re}a|,\operatorname{Re}s_0,1-\operatorname{Re}s_0\}.

For each fixed nn, the poles of the two summands in the proposed integral lie among

s=s0,s=1s0,s=2,4,,s=a2,a4,,s=a2,a4,.s=s_0,\quad s=1-s_0,\quad s=-2,-4,\ldots,\quad s=a-2,a-4,\ldots,\quad s=-a-2,-a-4,\ldots.

Consequently none lies in the closed strip between the original line and the line Res=σ\operatorname{Re}s=\sigma'. Stirling's estimate gives exponential decay on horizontal segments, so each individual summand integral is unchanged by shifting its contour to σ\sigma'.

On the shifted line, both divisor Dirichlet series converge absolutely. Interchanging summation and integration and using

n1σa(n)ns=ζ(s)ζ(sa),n1σa(n)ns+a=ζ(s+a)ζ(s),\sum_{n\ge1}\frac{\sigma_a(n)}{n^s} =\zeta(s)\zeta(s-a), \qquad \sum_{n\ge1}\frac{\sigma_a(n)}{n^{s+a}} =\zeta(s+a)\zeta(s),

the proposed right-hand side becomes

12πiRes=σ(ξ(s)ξ(sa)ss0+ξ(s)ξ(s+a)s1+s0)ds.\frac1{2\pi i}\int_{\operatorname{Re}s=\sigma'} \left( \frac{\xi(s)\xi(s-a)}{s-s_0} + \frac{\xi(s)\xi(s+a)}{s-1+s_0} \right)\,ds.

Put

F(s)=ξ(s)ξ(sa).F(s)=\xi(s)\xi(s-a).

In the second integral, substitute t=1st=1-s. The functional equation gives

ξ(1t)ξ(1t+a)=ξ(t)ξ(ta)=F(t),\xi(1-t)\xi(1-t+a)=\xi(t)\xi(t-a)=F(t),

while the denominator becomes (ts0)-(t-s_0). Accounting for the vertical orientation, the expression is therefore

12πi(Res=σF(s)ss0dsRes=1σF(s)ss0ds).\frac1{2\pi i} \left( \int_{\operatorname{Re}s=\sigma'}\frac{F(s)}{s-s_0}\,ds - \int_{\operatorname{Re}s=1-\sigma'}\frac{F(s)}{s-s_0}\,ds \right).

The function FF is entire, has exponential decay in fixed vertical strips, and

1σ<Res0<σ.1-\sigma'<\operatorname{Re}s_0<\sigma'.

The residue theorem consequently evaluates the difference as

Ress=s0F(s)ss0=F(s0)=ξ(s0)ξ(s0a).\operatorname*{Res}_{s=s_0}\frac{F(s)}{s-s_0} =F(s_0) =\xi(s_0)\xi(s_0-a).

This proves the conjectured integral representation for every complex a,s0a,s_0 and every admissible contour.

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