Fourier uniformity of bounded multiplicative functions in short intervals on average (Q2304168)

Let \(\lambda\) denote the Liouville function, i.e., the completely multiplicative function defined by \(\lambda(p)=-1\) on primes. The main result of this paper is that \[ \int_X^{2X}\sup_\alpha\left\lvert \sum_{x < n\leq x+H} \lambda(n) e(-n\alpha) \right\rvert\,dx=o(XH),\tag{1} \] when \(X\to\infty\) and \(H\geq X^\theta\) with a fixed, arbitrarily small \(\theta>0\). The same authors previously established an averaged version of a special case of Chowla's conjecture [Algebra Number Theory 9, No. 9, 2167--2196 (2015; Zbl 1377.11109)], namely that \[ \sum_{|h|\leq H} \left\lvert\sum_{n\leq x}\lambda(n)\lambda(n+h)\right\rvert = o(Hx),\tag{2} \] when \(x\to\infty\), provided that \(H\to\infty\) with \(x\to\infty\). As the authors note, (2) is equivalent to a weaker version of (1), albeit in a greater range of \(H\). The present result may therefore be regarded as a further step towards Chowla's conjecture which, in turn, may be considered a higher-order version of the prime number theorem. The lower bound of the range for \(H\) in (1) may be viewed as the ``distance'' of this result from the unaveraged version. It follows from (1), cf. Corollary 1.3, that \[ \sum_{|h|\leq H} \left(1-\frac{|h|}{H}\right)\sum_{n\leq X}\lambda(n)\Lambda(n+h)\Lambda(n+2h) = o(HX),\tag{3} \] where \(X\to\infty\), \(H=X^\theta\), \(\theta>0\), and \(\Lambda(n)\) is von Mangoldt's function. The paper also includes generalizations of the above results: 1. More general versions of (1) and (3) are proved where \(\lambda(n)\) is replaced by a multiplicative function bounded by \(1\) and sufficiently distant from products of an additive character and a Dirichlet character \(n^{it}\chi(n)\). Such functions are called non-pretentious. (Liouville's function may also be replaced by the Möbius function). 2. The product \(\lambda(n)\Lambda(n+h)\Lambda(n+2h)\) in (3) may be replaced by \(f_1(n)f_2(n+h)f_3(n+2h)\) where one the functions \(f_i\) is multiplicative, bounded by \(1\) and non-pretentious, and the other two are \(\ll 1+\Lambda(n)\) (or admit sharp sieve majorants). There is a helpful sketch of the proof (on pages 7--15) with key ideas explained. This is followed by the complete proof. The authors mention that \(H\) may possibly be taken as low as \(\exp((\log X)^{2/3+\varepsilon})\) for a positive \(\varepsilon\). In fact, as of this writing, a follow-up paper, by the present authors with \textit{J. Teräväinen} and \textit{T. Ziegler}, is already available on [```Higher uniformity of bounded multiplicative functions in short intervals on average'', Preprint, \url{arXiv:2007.15644}]. In that paper \(H\) may be taken as low as \(\exp((\log X)^{5/8+\varepsilon})\) and the linear exponent \(-\alpha n\) replaced by a polynomial of bounded degree.