Notes on Pair Correlation of Zeros and Prime Numbers

These notes are based on my four lectures given at the Newton Institute in April 2004 during the Recent Perspectives in Random Matrix Theory and Number Theory Workshop. Their purpose is to introduce the reader to the analytic number theory necessary to understand Montgomery's work on the pair correlation of the zeros of the Riemann zeta-function and subsequent work on how this relates to prime numbers. A very brief introduction to Selberg's work on the moments of $S(T)$ is also given

Are There Infinitely Many Primes?

This paper is based on a talk given to motivated high school (and younger) students at a BAMA (Bay Area Math Adventure) event. Some of the methods used to study primes and twin primes are introduced.Comment: 21 page

On the L1L^1 norm of an exponential sum involving the divisor function

In this paper, we obtain bounds on the $L^1$ norm of the sum $\sum_{n\le x}\tau(n) e(\alpha n)$ where $\tau(n)$ is the divisor function

A note on S(T) and the zeros of the Riemann zeta-function

Let $\pi S(t)$ denote the argument of the Riemann zeta-function at the point $\frac12+it$. Assuming the Riemann Hypothesis, we sharpen the constant in the best currently known bounds for $S(t)$ and for the change of $S(t)$ in intervals. We then deduce estimates for the largest multiplicity of a zero of the zeta-function and for the largest gap between the zeros.Comment: 5 page

Higher Correlations of Divisor Sums Related to Primes II: Variations of the error term in the prime number theorem

We calculate the triple correlations for the truncated divisor sum $\lambda_{R}(n)$. The $\lambda_{R}(n)$'s behave over certain averages just as the prime counting von Mangoldt function $\Lambda(n)$ does or is conjectured to do. We also calculate the mixed (with a factor of $\Lambda(n)$) correlations. The results for the moments up to the third degree, and therefore the implications for the distribution of primes in short intervals, are the same as those we obtained (in the first paper with this title) by using the simpler approximation $\Lambda_{R}(n)$. However, when $\lambda_{R}(n)$ is used the error in the singular series approximation is often much smaller than what $\Lambda_{R}(n)$ allows. Assuming the Generalized Riemann Hypothesis for Dirichlet $L$-functions, we obtain an $\Omega_{\pm}$-result for the variation of the error term in the prime number theorem. Formerly, our knowledge under GRH was restricted to $\Omega$-results for the absolute value of this variation. An important ingredient in the last part of this work is a recent result due to Montgomery and Soundararajan which makes it possible for us to dispense with a large error term in the evaluation of a certain singular series average. We believe that our results on $\lambda_{R}(n)$'s and $\Lambda_{R}(n)$'s can be employed in diverse problems concerning primes.Comment: 51 page

On the differences between consecutive prime numbers, I

We show by an inclusion-exclusion argument that the prime $k$-tuple conjecture of Hardy and Littlewood provides an asymptotic formula for the number of consecutive prime numbers which are a specified distance apart. This refines one aspect of a theorem of Gallagher that the prime $k$-tuple conjecture implies that the prime numbers are distributed in a Poisson distribution around their average spacing.Comment: 6 page

The Path to Recent Progress on Small Gaps Between Primes

This paper describes some of the ideas used in the development of our work on small gaps between primes.Comment: 11 page

Primes in Tuples II

We prove that there are infinitely often pairs of primes much closer than the average spacing between primes - almost within the square root of the average spacing. We actually prove a more general result concerning the set of values taken on by the differences between primes.Comment: 35 page

Primes in Tuples IV: Density of small gaps between consecutive primes

We show that a positive proportion of all gaps between consecutive primes are small gaps. We provide several quantitative results, some unconditional and some conditional, in this flavour

Primes in Tuples I

We introduce a method for showing that there exist prime numbers which are very close together. The method depends on the level of distribution of primes in arithmetic progressions. Assuming the Elliott-Halberstam conjecture, we prove that there are infinitely often primes differing by 16 or less. Even a much weaker conjecture implies that there are infinitely often primes a bounded distance apart. Unconditionally, we prove that there exist consecutive primes which are closer than any arbitrarily small multiple of the average spacing, that is, $$\liminf_{n\to \infty} \frac{p_{n+1}-p_n}{\log p_n} =0 .$$ This last result will be considerably improved in a later paper.Comment: 36 page