The conjectured optimal bound for completely multiplicative functions with mean value zero

Let xx be large, and let ff be a completely multiplicative function satisfying 1f(n)1-1\leqslant f(n)\leqslant 1 for all nn. Suppose that

nxf(n)=o(x).\sum_{n\leqslant x}f(n)=o(x).

Conjectured optimal bound. For 1/eα11/\sqrt e\leqslant \alpha\leqslant 1, one has

nxαf(n)(2logα+o(1))xα.\left|\sum_{n\leqslant x^{\alpha}}f(n)\right|\leqslant \bigl(-2\log\alpha+o(1)\bigr)x^{\alpha}.

This would give a sharp form of the preceding Burgess-type estimate for partial sums of completely multiplicative functions whose average up to xx is o(1)o(1). The supplied text does not state whether the conjecture has since been proved or disproved.

Sources & referencesView supporting material

Primary source

W. D. Banks, M. Z. Garaev, D. R. Heath-Brown and I. E. Shparlinski, “Density of non-residues in Burgess-type intervals and applications”, arXiv:math/0607692 (2007).

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