On consecutive \(k\)th power residues. II (Q803199): Difference between revisions

The author proves the long-standing conjecture that, for any positive integer \(k\) there exists a number \(N_k\), such that any prime \(p>N_k\) has a pair \(n,n+1\) of consecutive \(k\)-th power residues below \(N_k\). Previously, in the earlier paper in this series, the author had established the result in the case \(k\) prime [Monatsh. Math. 102, 103--114 (1986; Zbl 0593.10037)]. The proof is along similar lines to before, but is noticeably more involved. As previously the reviewer's ``special sets'' \(n_1<n_2< \ldots <n_r\) for which \(n i-n_j\mid n j\) \((i>j)\) play a key part. However, a number of additional properties have to be forced on the numbers \(n_i\). In addition the proof uses elementary sieve estimates, Ramsey's theorem from combinatorics, and estimates for multiplicative functions.