Square-full numbers in Piatetski-Shapiro sequences (Q2210353)

In [Mat. Sb., Nov. Ser. 33(75), 559--566 (1953; Zbl 0053.02702)], \textit{I. I. Piatetski-Shapiro} supplied a sequence sparser than the sequence \((qn+a)\) by studying the distribution of prime numbers of the form \(\lfloor n^c \rfloor\), where \(1 < c < 2\) is a fixed real number. This sequence can be considered as the simplest generalization of polynomials with non-integer degrees. Subsequently, several authors studied Piatetski-Shapiro type theorems, which incidentally may be of some help to exhibit the progress on exponential sums estimates and exponent pair techniques. In the paper under review, the authors establish an asymptotic formula for the sum \[ \sum_{\substack{n \leqslant x \\ \lfloor n^c \rfloor \text{ is square-full}}} 1 \] where a positive integer \(n\) is said to be square-full if, for any prime \(p\), we have \(p \mid n \Rightarrow p^2 \mid n\). The proof rests on well-known tools in number theory, such as the Dirichlet hyperbola principle, a simple form of an approximate functional equation of \(\zeta(s)\) and an estimate of the \(\psi\)-function. As usual in exponential sums problems, the given result depends on the choice of two exponent pairs \((k_i,\ell_i)\), \(i=1,2\). For instance, choosing \((k_1,\ell_1) = AB (0,1) = \left( \frac{1}{6},\frac{2}{3} \right)\) and \((k_2,\ell_2) = A^2B (0,1) = \left( \frac{1}{14},\frac{11}{14} \right)\), i.e., the exponent pairs respectively corresponding to the third and fourth derivative test in Van der Corput's terminology, the authors derive the estimate \[ \sum_{\substack{n \leqslant x \\ \lfloor n^c \rfloor \text{ is square-full}}} 1 = \frac{\zeta(3/2)}{\zeta(3)} \frac{x^{1-c/2}}{2-c} + O \left( x^{\tfrac{c}{3} + \tfrac{5}{51}} \log x\right) \] provided that \(1 < c < \frac{92}{85} \approx 1.0824\). Reviewer's remark: It can be pointed out that taking Bourgain's exponent pair $(k_1,\ell_1) = \left( \frac{13}{84} + \varepsilon,\frac{55}{84} + \varepsilon \right)$ and $(k_2,\ell_2) = A (k_1,\ell_1) = \left( \frac{13}{194} + \varepsilon,\frac{76}{97} + \varepsilon \right)$ [\textit{J. Bourgain}, J. Am. Math. Soc. 30, No. 1, 205--224 (2017; Zbl 1352.11065)] yields \[ \sum_{\substack{n \leqslant x \\ \lfloor n^c \rfloor \text{ is square-full}}} 1 = \frac{\zeta(3/2)}{\zeta(3)} \frac{x^{1-c/2}}{2-c} + O \left( x^{\tfrac{c}{3} + \tfrac{923}{10077} + \varepsilon} \right) \] provided that $1 < c < \frac{18308}{16795} \approx 1.09$.