The average number of divisors of the Euler function (Q1991659)

Let \(\phi(n),~\lambda(n)\) be the Euler function and the Carmichael \(\lambda\) function of \(n\), respectively, and let \(\tau(n)\) be the number of divisors of \(n\). The paper studies the average value of \(\tau(\phi(n))\) and \(\tau(\lambda(n))\) as \(n\) ranges over positive integers in \([1,x]\). Putting \[ F(x)={\text{ exp}}\left(e^{-\gamma/2} {\sqrt{\frac{\log x}{\log\log x}}}\right), \] the main result is the paper is that \[ \frac{1}{x}\sum_{n\le x} \tau(\phi(n))\ge \frac{1}{x}\sum_{n\le x}\tau(\lambda(n))\ge F(x)^{2+o(1)} \] as \(x\to\infty\). This improves upon a result of the reviewer with \textit{C. Pomerance} [Publ. Math. 70, No. 1--2, 125--148 (2007; Zbl 1127.11065)] who proved the above inequality with the exponent \(1/7\) on the right-hand side instead of \(2\). It is conjectured that the correct exponent should be \(2{\sqrt{2}}\) and an upper bound on the left-hand side with this exponent was proved in [loc. cit.]. In addition, the author proves that \[ \sum_{n\le x} \tau(\lambda(n))=o\left(\sum_{n\le x} \tau(\phi(n))\right) \] as \(x\) tends to infinity. The proofs use ingredients from [loc. cit.] combined with a version of the Bombieri-Vinogradov theorem on primes in progressions due to \textit{D. Fiorilli} [Can. J. Math. 64, No. 5, 1019--1035 (2012; Zbl 1315.11078)].