Large values of character sums (Q1106880)

Let \(\chi\) be a primitive Dirichlet character modulo q, \(q\geq 3\). The author investigates the occurrence of large values for the character sum \(S(\chi,x)=\sum_{n\leq x}\chi (n)\). There are arguments which indicate that it is probably true that \(S(\chi,x)\ll \sqrt{q}\cdot \log \log q.\) In the present paper the author shows that the classical Pólya- Vinogradov bound \(S(\chi,x)\ll \sqrt{q}\cdot \log q\) is attained only very rarely, and only when \(x| q\) is close to a rational number with small denominator. Precise bounds that depend on rational approximations to \(x| q\) are given. Moreover, improved values for the constant in the Pólya-Vinogradov inequality are obtained.