Supercongruence for the sporadic sequences B and F

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Let p≥5p\ge 5 be a prime, and let unn≥0\\{u_n\\}_{n\ge 0} be one of the sequences B\mathbf{B} and F\mathbf{F}, defined by

un=∑k=0n(−1)k3n−3k(n3k)(3k2k)(2kk)u_n=\sum_{k=0}^n(-1)^k3^{n-3k}\binom{n}{3k}\binom{3k}{2k}\binom{2k}{k}

or

un=∑k=0n(−1)k8n−k(nk)∑j=0k(kj)3.u_n=\sum_{k=0}^n(-1)^k8^{n-k}\binom{n}{k}\sum_{j=0}^k\binom{k}{j}^3.

Here (p3)\left(\frac{p}{3}\right) is the Legendre symbol, Bp−2(x)B_{p-2}(x) is the Bernoulli polynomial, and Unn≥1\\{\mathcal{U}_n\\}_{n\ge 1} is an integer sequence. The supercongruence for B\mathbf{B} and F\mathbf{F}. For all positive integers nn, the sequence satisfies

unp≡un+12p2(p3)Bp−2(13)Un.u_{np}\equiv u_n+\frac{1}{2}p^2\left(\frac{p}{3}\right)B_{p-2}\left(\frac{1}{3}\right)\mathcal{U}_n.

The sequence Unn≥1\\{\mathcal{U}_n\\}_{n\ge 1} is independent of pp. This is a numerical conjecture about supercongruences for two sporadic Apéry-like sequences, with the correction term expressed using a Bernoulli polynomial; the displayed values of Un\mathcal{U}_n in the source provide computational evidence but no proof or resolution is supplied.

References

Primary source

Ji-Cai Liu, “Supercongruences involving Apéry-like numbers and Bernoulli numbers”, arXiv:2403.19503 (2024).

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