On sums of sums involving cube-full numbers (Q2168704)

Let \(f_3\) be the characteristic function of cube-free functions. The author studies sums of the shape \[ S_k(x, y) = \sum_{n\leq y} \Big( \sum_{d\mid n} f_3(d) \lfloor x/d \rfloor \Big)^k \] for \(k=1\) and \(k=2\). Because the floor function sets a cap on the size of \(d\), these are not trivial to estimate when \(x\) is small compared to \(y\). The author establishes a two-term asymptotic formula of the shape \[ S_1(x, y) = c_1 xy + c_2 x^2 + o(x^2) \] valid as \(x, y\to\infty\) in the domain \(x<y<x^{5/3}\) (more precisely \(\min(y/x, x^{5/3}/y) \to \infty\)). The author also establishes a two-term asymptotic formula \[ S_2(x, y) = x^2y (c_3 \log(x^3/y) + c_4) + o(x^2y) \] in a range essentially of the shape \(x < y < x^2\). He also establishes a one-term asymptotic formula for \(y>x^2\) (complementing the first bound up to a missing range for \(y = x^2 (\log x)^{O(1)}\)). This generalizes various results that were known for squarefree numbers. The main tools are the exponent pair theory for short sums of the fractional part function, and estimates for the Riemann \(\zeta\) function on the \(1/2\) and \(1\) line on average.