Levels of distribution and the affine sieve (Q2339507)

The paper under review is a thorough survey of results in two topics related to sieve theory. The first topic deals with gaps between primes, culminating with Zhang's theorem about the existence of infinitely many bounded gaps between primes [\textit{Y. Zhang}, Ann. Math. (2) 179, No. 3, 1121--1174 (2014; Zbl 1290.11128)]. The second topic concerns the problem of understanding the set of coordinates generated by the orbit of a rational point under a subgroup of the general linear group over the integers. The common theme is the important notion of ``level of distribution'' regarding the distribution in arithmetic progressions of the set of integers under study. An impressive variety of tools are mentioned and used, depending on the context. The author's motivations are illustrated throughout by concrete examples, so that the reader can get an idea about the main issues at hand rather easily. This survey is clearly written and can be considered as a valuable addition to anyone willing to learn about these striking results.