Application of a polynomial sieve: beyond separation of variables

MaRDI QIDQ6409844zbMATH OpenFDO

Authors Dante Bonolis, Lillian Beatrix Pierce

Publication date 6 September 2022

Abstract: Let a polynomial $finmathbbZ[X_1,ldots,X_n]$ be given. The square sieve can provide an upper bound for the number of integral $mathbfxin[-B,B{]}^n$ such that $f(mathbfx)$ is a perfect square. Recently this has been generalized substantially: first to a power sieve, counting $mathbfxin[-B,B{]}^n$ for which $f(mathbfx)=y^r$ is solvable for $yinmathbbZ$; then to a polynomial sieve, counting $mathbfxin[-B,B{]}^n$ for which $f(mathbfx)=g(y)$ is solvable, for a given polynomial $g$. Formally, a polynomial sieve lemma can encompass the more general problem of counting $mathbfxin[-B,B{]}^n$ for which $F(y,mathbfx)=0$ is solvable, for a given polynomial $F$. Previous applications, however, have only succeeded in the case that $F(y,mathbfx)$ exhibits separation of variables, that is, $F(y,mathbfx)$ takes the form $f(mathbfx)-g(y)$. In the present work, we present the first application of a polynomial sieve to count $mathbfxin[-B,B{]}^n$ such that $F(y,mathbfx)=0$ is solvable, in a case for which $F$ does not exhibit separation of variables. Consequently, we obtain a new result toward a question of Serre, pertaining to counting points in thin sets.

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