The spacing conjecture for reduced fractions with square moduli

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Let SQS_Q be the set of reduced fractions aq2\frac{a}{q^2} with Q<q≤2QQ<q\leq 2Q and 1≤a<q21\leq a<q^2. For real numbers, write ∥x∥\|x\| for the distance from xx to the nearest integer. The maximum number of elements of SQS_Q within distance Q−3Q^{-3} of any element should satisfy

Spacing conjecture for square moduli.

max⁡x∈SQ#{x′∈SQ:∥x−x′∥<Q−3}≪Qϵ,\max_{x\in S_Q}\#\left\{x'\in S_Q:\|x-x'\|<Q^{-3}\right\}\ll Q^{\epsilon},

where the implied constant depends on ϵ\epsilon alone.

This conjecture asserts that reduced fractions with square denominators have essentially optimal local spacing. It is motivated by the expected Q−3Q^{-3} average spacing among the approximately Q3Q^3 elements of SQS_Q; the source gives numerical evidence but no resolution.

References

Primary source

Liangyi Zhao, “Large Sieve Inequalities for Characters to Square Moduli”, arXiv:math/0508125 (2005).

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