On sums of three integers with a fixed number of prime factors (Q2566183)

The author proves that if \(0<\delta<2\) then every large odd number \(N\) is representable as a sum of three numbers each of which has precisely \(k\) distinct prime divisors with \(1\leq k\leq(2-\delta)\log\log N\). The number of representations has the asymptotic value \[ {1\over2}\Bigg({(\log\log N)^{k-1}\over(k-1)!\log N}\Bigg)^3\sigma(N)N^2, \] where \(\sigma(N)>{1\over2}\) is given by a singular series; the case \(k=1\) is the famous Goldbach-Vinogradov theorem. The number of representations is given by \[ \int_0^1S^3(\alpha,N)e^{-2\pi i\alpha N}d\alpha, \] where \[ S(\alpha,x)=\sum_{n\leq x}f_k(n)e^{2\pi inx}; \] here \(f_k(n)\) is the characteristic function of the set of numbers \(n\) with \(k\) distinct prime divisors, and appropriate estimates for its counting function then lead to estimates for the exponential sum \(S(\alpha,x)\). The circle method can now be employed, and the author adopts the Hooley-Huxley contour to arrive at the final result.