Almost universal ternary sums of polygonal numbers (Q2316148)

The authors consider sums of three generalized \(m\)-gonal numbers for natural numbers \(m\) and ask for conditions of almost universality (i.e., representation of all but finitely many natural numbers). They show: A sufficient condition is \(m\not\equiv 2\bmod 3\) and \(4\) does not divide \(m\). Furthermore: For \(m\equiv 2\bmod{12}\) almost universality is not true. The method of proof combines analytic and algebraic tools for quadratic forms using the Siegel mass formula for spinor genera.