A variance for \(k\)-free numbers in arithmetic progressions of given modulus (Q2240422)

The author studies the variance of the number of \(k\)-free numbers (numbers not divisible by a \(k\)th power) in arithmetic progressions of given modulus \(q\). More precisely, for certain ranges of \(q\) and certain \(\eta(a, q)\) he shows an asymptotic formula for \[ \sum_{a=1}^q \left(\sum_{\substack{n \leq x, \, n\text{ \(k\)-free}\\ n \equiv a \pmod{q}}} 1 - x \eta(a, q)\right)^2. \] In case \(k > 2\) the author provides the details of a generalisation of an argument of \textit{R. M. Nunes} [J. Number Theory 153, 1--36 (2015; Zbl 1394.11009)] concerning the case \(k=2\). In case \(k=2\) the author improves the error term that Nunes obtained in the aforementioned paper. In particular this yields an asymptotic formula for the variance when \(q > x^{9/13}\). Very recently, \textit{O. Gorodetsky} et al. [Geom. Funct. Anal. 31, No. 1, 111--149 (2021; Zbl 1473.11180)] obtained an asymptotic formula in still wider region \(q > x^{5/11}\) (assuming that \(q\) is prime for convenience).