On finiteness of odd superperfect numbers (Q2199683)

Let \( \sigma(N) \) denote the sum of positive divisors of a positive integer \( N \) and call a positive integer to be \textit{perfect} if \( \sigma(N)=2N \). A positive integer is called \textit{superperfect} if \( \sigma(\sigma(N))=2N \). It is well-known that if \( N \) is even superperfect, then \( N=2^{m} \) with \( 2^{m+1}-1 \) prime, and if \( N \) is odd superperfect, then \( N \) must be a square and have at least two distinct prime factors. In the paper under review, the author proves some results concerning the equations \( \sigma(N)=aM \) and \( \sigma(M)=bN \), for some positive integers \( a,b,M,N \). As a consequence, the author shows that there are only finitely many odd superperfect numbers with a fixed number of distinct prime factors. The proof of the results of the author rely on a clever combination of techniques in number theory and the Baker's theory for linear forms in complex and \( p \)-adic logarithms.