On multiplicative functions with mean-value close to \(-1\) on primes (Q1634416)

Suppose \(f\) is multiplicative, \(|f(p)|\leq 1\) and \(f(p^m)=0\) for all primes \(p\) and \(m\geq 2\). The first author and \textit{A. Sankaranarayanan} established the following result in [J. Number Theory 163, 75--88 (2016; Zbl 1405.11122)]: if there exists a fixed \(C_0>0\) such that for any \(M\geq 1\), \(M<M'\leq 2M\), \(t\in\mathbb{R}\) such that \[ \sum_{M<p\leq M'} f(p)p^{-it}\ll C_0 M^{1/2}\log(|t|+ 10),\tag{\(*\)} \] then exists there \(C_1>0\) such that \(\sum_{n\leq x} f(n)\ll x^{1/2}\exp(C_1\frac{\log x}{\log_2x})\). The authors assert that this paper was motivated by the functions \(f(n)=\chi(n)\) and \(\mu(n)\chi(n)\) for \(\chi\) a nonprincipal character; however \((*)\) fails for \(f(n)=\mu(n)\). The aim of the present paper is to obtain a corresponding result which is valid when \(f=\mu\). Suppose \(f\) is multiplicative and \(f(p)=-1\). Assume that \[ \sum_{M<p\leq M'} f(p)p^{-it}= \int^{M'}_M \frac{u^{-it}}{\log u} du+ O(M^{1/2} \log(|t|+ 10)) \] for \(M<M'\leq 2M\), which holds for \(f=\mu\). Then the authors prove that if \(f(n)=0\) when \(\mu(n)=0\) and \(s=\sigma+it\) then \(F(s)= \sum^\infty_{n=1} f(n) n^{-s}\) is holomorphic for \(\sigma>\frac{1}{2}\). Moreover, there exists \(C_1>0\) such that \[ \sum_{n\leq x} f(n) n^{-s}\ll x^{\frac{1}{2}-\sigma}\exp\Biggl(C_1\frac{\log x}{\log_2x}\Biggr)\quad\text{for }\sigma>0,\quad |t|\leq\exp\Biggl(\frac{2}{3}\log x\log_2x\Biggr), \] and hence \[ \sum_{n\leq x} f(n)\ll x^{\frac{1}{2}}\exp\Biggl(C_1\frac{\log x}{\log_2x}\Biggr). \] The proof builds on ideas and techniques used in the paper cited above as well as applying standard results from sieve theory and elsewhere. The argument is complicated and is split into several stages. It involves partitioning the interval \([0,x]\) into appropriate boxes and then estimating the contribution from each box to the sum \(F(s)\) before combining them. However, the main term in the replacement of \((*)\) results in a more complex argument.