On the distribution of roots of polynomials in sectors. I (Q1280854)

Let \(P(X)=a_nX^n+\cdots+a_0\) (\(a_0,a_n\neq 0\)) be a complex polynomial. For \(0\leq\psi\leq\varphi\leq 2\pi\) denote by \(N_P(\psi,\varphi)\) the number of roots \(z\) of \(P\) satisfying \(\psi\leq\arg z\leq\varphi\), and put \[ E_P=E_P(\psi,\varphi)=\biggl| N_P(\psi,\varphi)-{(\psi-\varphi)n\over 2\pi} \biggr|. \] It was shown by \textit{P. Erdős} and \textit{P. Turán} [Ann. Math. (2) 51, 105-119 (1950; Zbl 0036.01501)] that if \(L(P)\) denotes the sum of absolute values of coefficients of \(P\), then \[ E_P<16\left(n\log\left({L(P)\over a_na_0}\right)\right)^{1/2}. \] \textit{T. Ganelius} [Ark. Mat. 3, 1-50 (1954; Zbl 0055.06905)] replaced the coefficient \(16\) by \(2.61\dots\). Later an upper bound for \(E_P\) involving Mahler's measure of \(P\) was proved by \textit{M. Mignotte} [Acta Arith. 54, 81-86 (1989; Zbl 0641.12003)]. The author considers the case \(n\geq 10\) and obtains (Theorem 1) a bound of the form \(E_P<C\sqrt n\log n\), where \(C\) depends on \(P\) in the following way: \(C=\sqrt{A+2B+2}+2\sqrt B + 1\), where \[ A={(2n-2)\log| a_n| -\log| \Delta(P)| \over n\log n} \] and \[ {n\over 10\log n}\geq B\geq{n\log d(P)\over\log n}, \] \(D(P)\) being the discriminant of \(P\) and \(d(P)=\max\{| z| ,1/| z| :P(z)=0\}\) denoting the symmetric deviation from the unit circle of roots of \(P\). In the case when \(P\) has integral coefficients and is not a reciprocal polynomial this bound can be improved (Theorem 2). Moreover bounds for \(E_P\) are obtained in terms of the discriminant and the logarithm of Mahler's measure. For Part II, see the review Zbl 0920.12002 below.