The conjecture on the error in estimated numbers of discrete logarithm fixed points

Let pp be prime, let gg and hh range over the parameters defining the fixed-point counting function, and let N,gANY,hANY(p)N_{, g \mathop\mathsf{ANY}, h \mathop\mathsf{ANY}}(p) denote the corresponding estimate. For every fixed ϵ>0\epsilon>0, consider primes pxp\leq x for which its deviation from p1p-1 exceeds p1/2+ϵp^{1/2+\epsilon}. The error-distribution conjecture. There are o(x/lnx)o(x/\ln x) primes pxp\leq x for which

N,gANY,hANY(p)(p1)>p1/2+ϵ\left|N_{, g \mathop\mathsf{ANY}, h \mathop\mathsf{ANY}}(p)-(p-1)\right|>p^{1/2+\epsilon}

for every ϵ>0\epsilon>0. This is motivated by an independence heuristic: the expected value of the relevant random model is p1p-1, while its standard deviation is less than p1/2+ϵp^{1/2+\epsilon} for every ϵ>0\epsilon>0 when pp is sufficiently large. The statement predicts that only a negligible number of primes have a larger error, but no proof or resolution is supplied here.

Sources & referencesView supporting material

Primary source

Joshua Holden, “Distribution of the Error in Estimated Numbers of Fixed Points of the Discrete Logarithm”, arXiv:math/0401014 (2004).

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