Explicit solutions to certain inf max problems from Turán power sum theory (Q2465610)

The author is concerned with certain problems from Turán's power sum theory; his aim is to give best-possible estimates for certain sums \(\inf_{\dots}\;\max_{\dots} |\sum_{k=1}^n z_k^\nu|\). In [Acta Math. Hung. 70, No. 4, 305--316 (1996; Zbl 0853.11080)], for \(n+1\) prime, the author gave the rather precise estimate \[ \sqrt{n\,} \leq \inf_{|z_k| \geq 1}\;\max_{\nu=1,\dots,n^2} \left| \sum_{k=1}^n z_k^\nu \right| \leq \sqrt{n+1\,}. \] Using results of \textit{J. Singer} [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 43, 377--385 (1938; Zbl 0019.00502)] on perfect difference sets (if \(n-1\) is prime, there exist integers \(a_1,\dots, a_n\) such that the integers \(a_i-a_j\) (\(i\not=j\)) form all non-zero residues \(\operatorname{mod}n^2-n+1\)) and \textit{R. C. Bose} [J. Indian Math. Soc., New Ser. 6, 1--15 (1942; Zbl 0063.00542)], the author now proves the exact equalities \[ \inf_{|z_k|=1}\;\max_{\nu=1,\dots, n^2-n} \left| \sum_{k=1}^n z_k^\nu \right|= \sqrt{n-1\,}, \] if \(n-1\) is a prime power, and \[ \inf_{|z_k|\geq 1}\;\max_{\nu=1,\dots, n^2-i} \left| \sum_{k=1}^n z_k^\nu \right|=\sqrt{n\,}, \] if \(n\geq 3\) is a prime power, and if \(2\leq i\leq n-1\). \(n\)-tuples giving the global minimum are constructed from the results of Singer resp. Bose. Finally four open problems are mentioned.