On the Waring-Goldbach problem for seventh and higher powers (Q2360560)

The Waring-Goldbach problem concerns, for given \(k \in \mathbb{N}\), the least integer \(H(k)\) such that, for certain integer \(K(k)\), every sufficiently large integer congruent to \(H(k) \pmod{K(k)}\) can be written as a sum of \(H(k)\) \(k\)-th powers of prime numbers. Getting upper bounds for \(H(k)\) is known to be closely related to Vinogradov's mean value theorem, and recently the authors [J. Lond. Math. Soc., II. Ser. 93, No. 3, 811--824 (2016; Zbl 1358.11117)] applied the second author's significant progress on Vinogradov's mean value theorem [\textit{T. D. Wooley}, Ann. Math. (2) 175, No. 3, 1575--1627 (2012; Zbl 1267.11105); Proc. Lond. Math. Soc. (3) 111, No. 3, 519--560 (2015; Zbl 1328.11087)] to improve on the bounds known for \(H(k)\) for every \(k \geq 8\). In the paper under review, the authors describe how the latest developments [\textit{J. Bourgain} et al., Ann. Math. (2) 184, No. 2, 633--682 (2016; Zbl 1408.11083)] on Vinogradov's mean value theorem lead to further improvements for upper bounds for \(H(k)\) for every \(k \geq 7\). In particular the authors show that, for large enough \(k\), one has \[ H(k) \leq (4k-2) \log k - (2 \log 2 - 1) k - 3 \] improving on their previous bound \[ H(k) \leq (4k-2) \log k + k - 7. \]