Geometric progression-free sequences with small gaps (Q2257322)

A \(k\)-term geometric progression in the integers (a \(k\)-GP for short) is a finite sequence \(a_1, a_2, \dots, a_k\) of positive integers such that \(a_{i+1} = ra_i\) for some \(r \in \mathbb Q\) and all \(i<k\). In the paper under review, the author studies sets of integers that contain no strictly increasing \(k\)-GP's. In particular, the main result of the paper gives a probabilistic proof of the existence of a 6-GP-free set of integers \(T_6\) such that \[ t_{n+1} - t_n \ll_{\varepsilon} \exp\left( \left( \frac 56\log 2 + \varepsilon \right) \frac {\log t_n}{\log\log t_n} \right), \] where \(t_1 < t_2 < \dots < t_n < \cdots\) are the elements of \(T_6\), listed in increasing order. The author then uses his method to establish the existence of a 5-GP-free set of integers \(T_5\) subject to the slightly weaker constraint that \(t_{n+1} - t_n \ll_{\varepsilon} t_n^{\varepsilon}\). Finally, he proves that if one considers only GP's with integer ratios, then one can find even 3-GP-free sets such that \(t_{n+1} - t_n \ll_{\varepsilon} t_n^{\varepsilon}\). The proofs use some technical estimates for short sums of divisor-like functions.