A generalization of the Banach-Steinhaus theorem for finite part limits (Q523234): Difference between revisions

The authors use distribution theory (generalized functions) to produce another proof of the classical prime number theorem in the form \[ \lim_{x\to\infty}\,\frac{\psi(x)}{x} = 1, \quad \psi(x) = \sum_{n\leq x}\Lambda(n),\leqno(1) \] where as usual \(\Lambda(n) = \log p\) if \(n = p^k\) (\(p\) is a generic prime) and \(\Lambda(n) = 0\) otherwise. The proof of (1) is based on finding the distributional asymptotic behavior of \(\psi'(x)\) (the derivative is to be understood in the distributional sense), in fact \[ \psi'(x) = \sum_{n=1}^\infty\Lambda(n)\delta(x-n), \] where \(\delta\) is the well-known Dirac delta distribution. In the course of the proof the authors use some elementary properties of the Riemann zeta-function \[ \zeta(s) = \sum_{n=1}^\infty n^{-s}\qquad(\text{Re}\, s >1), \] as well as the fact that \(\zeta(1+it) \neq 0\) for real \(t\). However, the last assertion is well known to be an equivalent of the prime number theorem [see e.g., Sections 8--9 of Chapter 2 of \textit{A. E. Ingham}, The distribution of prime numbers. Cambridge etc.: Cambridge University Press (1990; Zbl 0715.11045)]. On the other hand, the authors point out that their proof does not use any Tauberian argument, which is certainly a merit.