Sparse variance for \(k\)-free numbers in arithmetic progressions (Q2354036)

Let \(Q_k (x; q, a)\) be the number of \(k\)-free numbers \(n\leq x\) such that \(n\equiv a\pmod q\). It is known that \[ Q_k (x; q, a)=g_k(q, a) x +o(x), \] where \[ g_k(q, a)=\sum_{{m=1}\atop{(m^k, q)\mid a}}^\infty \frac{\mu (m) (m^k, q)}{m^kq} . \] Let \(f\in \mathbb{Z}[t]\) be an integer-valued polynomial of degree \(d\geq 2\) with positive leading coefficient and let \(y_0\) be the least integer such that \(f(y)\geq 2\) and \(f'(y)\geq 1\) for all \(y\geq y_0\). Define \[ V_f (x, y)=\sum_{y_0<n\leq y} f'(n) \sum_{a=1}^{f(n)} \left( Q_k (x; f(n), a)- g_k(f(n), a) x \right)^2. \] In this paper, by using the circle method, the author proves that, for all \(y\) and \(x\) with \(f(y)\leq x\), \[ V_f (x, y)=C_{f,k} x^{1/k} f(y)^{2-1/k} +\text{ the remainder term}. \]