Representation of squares by nonsingular cubic forms (Q2040200)

Let \(n\ge 6\) and let \(C\in\mathbb Z[X_1,\ldots,X_n]\) be a non-singular cubic form. Consider the number \(\Upsilon(X)\) of solutions \((x_1,\ldots,x_n,y)\in \mathbb Z^{n+1}\) of the equation \[ C(x_1,\ldots,x_n)=y^2 \] weighted by some smooth weight. The authors give an asymptotic formula for \(\Upsilon(X)\). \par \textit{D. R. Heath-Brown} [Proc. Lond. Math. Soc. (3) 47, 225--257 (1983; Zbl 0494.10012)] gave an asymptotic formula for \(n\ge 10\), \textit{C. Hooley} for \(n=9\) in a series of papers, see e.g. [J. Reine Angew. Math. 456, 53--63 (1994; Zbl 0833.11048)]. The method used in the paper has similarities with the above cited result of C. Hooley. The most important tools are the circle method and various results for exponential sums.