Congruences for \(\overline{\operatorname{spt}}_\omega(n)\) modulo powers of primes (Q2161328)

For a nonnegative integer \(n\), \textit{G. E. Andrews} [J. Reine Angew. Math. 624, 133--142 (2008; Zbl 1153.11053)] introduced the smallest parts function spt(\(n\)) which is the total number of appearances of smallest parts in all the partitions of \(n\). Andrews [loc. cit.], \textit{S. Ahlgren} et al. [Adv. Math. 228, No. 1, 629--645 (2011; Zbl 1268.11145)], \textit{F. G. Garvan} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 364, No. 9, 4847--4873 (2012; Zbl 1286.11165)], and \textit{K. Ono} [Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 108, No. 2, 473--476 (2011; Zbl 1286.11168)] proved a number of congruences for spt(\(n\)). An overpartition of a positive integer \(n\) is a partition of \(n\) where the first occurrence of parts of each size may be overlined. For their number \(\overline{p}(n)\), \[ \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} \overline{p}(n)q^n=\prod_{n=1}^{\infty}\frac {1+q^n}{1-q^n}, \quad |q|<1 \] (see [\textit{S. Corteel} and \textit{J. Lovejoy}, Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 356, No. 4, 1623--1635 (2004; Zbl 1040.11072)]). \textit{G. E. Andrews} et al. [Acta Arith. 181, No. 3, 253--286 (2017; Zbl 1422.11210)] studied \(\overline p_{\omega}(n)\) which denotes the number of overpartitions of \(n\) such that all odd parts are less then twice the smallest part, and in which the smallest part is always overlined. They also defined the associated smallest parts function \(\overline{\mathrm{spt}}_{\omega}(n)\), which counts the number of smallest parts in the overpartitions enumerated by \(\overline p_{\omega}(n)\). They proved congruences for \(\overline{\mathrm{spt}}_{\omega}(n)\). \textit{L. Wang} [J. Number Theory 175, 51--65 (2017; Zbl 1407.11121)] established more congruences for \(\overline{\mathrm{spt}}_{\omega}(n)\) by \(q\)-series manipulations. In the paper under review the author establishes congruences for \(\overline{\mathrm{spt}}_{\omega}(n)\) modulo arbitrary powers of odd primes. E.g., for any odd prime \(\ell\) and any integers \(m\ge 1\) and \(n\ge 1\) with \[ \left(\frac {-4n-2}{\ell}\right)=1, \] the author proves that \[ \overline{\mathrm{spt}}_{\omega}(2\ell^{2m}n+\ell^{2m})\equiv 0 \mod \ell^{m}. \] The results follow from a congruence result for Hecke operators.