Upper bounds for unitary perfect numbers and unitary harmonic numbers (Q2478044)

A positive integer \(d\) is said to be a unitary divisor of \(N\) if \(d\mid N\) and \((d, N/d)=1\). The unitary divisor function \(\sigma_j^{\ast}(N)\) is defined as the sum of the \(j\)th powers of the unitary divisors of \(N\). A positive integer \(N\) is said to be a unitary perfect number (UPN) if \(\sigma_1^{\ast}(N)=2N\), see \textit{M. V. Subbarao} and \textit{L. J. Warren} [Can. Math. Bull. 9, 147--153 (1966; Zbl 0139.26901)]. Five UPNs are known and it is open whether there exist other UPNs. A positive integer \(N\) is said to be a unitary harmonic number (UHN) if the harmonic mean of its unitary divisors \[ H^{\ast}(N)={N\sigma_0^{\ast}(N)\over \sigma_1^{\ast}(N)} \] is integral, see \textit{K. Nageswara Rao} [Scripta Math. 28, 347--352 (1965; Zbl 0216.03802)] or \textit{P.~Hagis jun.} and \textit{G. Lord} [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 51, 1--7 (1975; Zbl 0309.10004)]. A large number of examples of UHNs are known. The present author presents the list of all UHNs with \(H^{\ast}(N)\leq 50\). It is open whether there exist infinitely many UHNs. The main results of this paper are the following. If \(N\) is a UPN (resp. a UHN) with \(k\) distinct prime factors, then \(N<2^{2^k}\) (resp. \(N<(2^{2^k})^k\)). For a survey of UPNs, UHNs and related numbers, see \textit{J. Sándor} and \textit{B. Crstici} [Handbook of number theory II. (Dordrecht): Kluwer Academic Publishers (2004; Zbl 1079.11001)].