Congruences for the coefficients of the powers of the Euler product (Q2181589)

Let \(p_k (n)\) be given by the series expansion of the \(k\)-th power of the Euler Product \(\prod^{\infty}_{n=1}(1- q^n)^k = \sum^ {\infty}_{n=0} p_k (n) q^n\). The question is very basic. By investigating the properties of the modular equations of the second and the third order under the Atkin \(U\)-operator, the authors determine the generating functions of \( p_{8k} (2^{\alpha n} n+ \frac{k(2^{2 \alpha}-1)}{3} ) (1 \leq k\leq 3)\) and \(p_{3k} (3^{2 \beta} n+ \frac{k(3^{2 \beta}-1)}{8} ) (1 \leq k\leq 8)\) in terms of some linear recurring sequences. Combining with a result of \textit{H. T. Engstrom} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 33, 210--218 (1931; JFM 57.0184.01)] about the periodicity of linear recurring sequences modulo \(m\), we obtain infinite families of congruences for \(p_k (n)\) modulo any \(m\geq 2\), where \(1\leq k\leq 24\) and \(3|k\) or \(8|k\). Based on these congruences for \(p_k (n)\), infinite families of congruences for many partition functions such as the overpartition function, \(t\)-core partition functions and \(l\) -regular partition functions are easily obtained.