A variant of the Euclid-Mullin sequence containing every prime

We consider a generalization of Euclid's proof of the infinitude of primes and show that it leads to variants of the Euclid-Mullin sequence that provably contain every prime number.Comment: 5 pages, submitte

Finite connected components of the aliquot graph

Conditional on a strong form of the Goldbach conjecture, we determine all finite connected components of the aliquot graph containing a number less than $10^9$, as well as those containing an amicable pair below $10^{14}$ or one of the known perfect or sociable cycles below $10^{17}$. Along the way we develop a fast algorithm for computing the inverse image of an even number under the sum-of-proper-divisors function.Comment: 10 pages, to appear in Mathematics of Computatio

A converse theorem without root numbers

We answer a challenge posed in (Math. Ann. 363 (2015), no. 1-2, 423-454) by proving a version of Weil's converse theorem that assumes a functional equation for character twists but allows their root numbers to vary arbitrarily.Comment: 10 pages, to appear in Mathematik

L-functions as distributions

We define an axiomatic class of L-functions extending the Selberg class. We show in particular that one can recast the traditional conditions of an Euler product, analytic continuation and functional equation in terms of distributional identities akin to Weil's explicit formula. The generality of our approach enables some new applications; for instance, we show that the L-function of any cuspidal automorphic representation of GL_3(A_Q) has infinitely many zeros of odd order.Comment: The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00208-015-1178-

A note on Maass forms of icosahedral type

Using ideas of Ramakrishnan, we consider the icosahedral analogue of the theorems of Sarnak and Brumley on Hecke-Maass newforms with Fourier coefficients in a quadratic order. Although we are unable to conclude the existence of an associated Galois representation in this case, we show that one can deduce some implications of such an association, including weak automorphy of all symmetric powers and the value distribution of Fourier coefficients predicted by the Chebotarev density theorem.Comment: 9 pages, to appear in Mathematische Zeitschrif