A note on the zeros of zeta and \(L\)-functions (Q495584)

Let \(\zeta(s)\) denote the Riemann zeta-function, and let as usual \[ S(T) = \frac{1}{\pi}\arg\zeta(1/2+iT), \] where the argument is obtained by continuous variation along segments joining the points \(2, 2+iT, 1/2+iT\). It is well known that \(S(T) = O(\log T)\) and that, under the Riemann Hypothesis (RH, all complex zeros of \(\zeta(s)\) have real parts equal to 1/2), one has \[ S(T) = O\left(\frac{\log T}{\log\log T}\right). \] This classical upper bound of \textit{J. E. Littlewood} [Proc. Camb. Philos. Soc. 22, 295--318 (1924; JFM 50.0230.02)] has not been improved so far. \textit{D. A. Goldston} and \textit{S. M. Gonek} [Bull. Lond. Math. Soc. 39, No. 3, 482--486 (2007; Zbl 1127.11058)] used the Guinand-Weil explicit formula for the zeros of \(\zeta(s)\) and the classical Beurling-Selberg majorants and minorants for characteristic functions of intervals to deduce (under the RH) the explicit bound \[ |S(T)| \leq \left(\frac{1}{2}+o(1)\right)\frac{\log T}{\log\log T}\qquad(T\to\infty).\leqno(1) \] The present authors refine the method of Goldston-Gonek and obtain (also under the RH) a further sharpening of (1), namely \[ |S(T)| \leq \left(\frac{1}{4}+o(1)\right)\frac{\log T}{\log\log T}\qquad(T\to\infty), \] where the \(o(1)\)-term here is actually \(O(\log\log\log T/\log\log T)\). They also discuss how their result can be generalized to a large class of \(L\)-functions, if one assumes the analogue of the RH for such functions.