New Erdős-Kac type theorems (Q2572615)

Let \(\omega(n)\) denote the number of distinct prime factors of \(n\) and put \(L(n)=\log \log n\). A fundamental theorem of probabilistic number theory due to Erdős and Kac states that the quantity \(Q(n)=(\omega(n)-L(n))/\sqrt{L(n)}\) is normally distributed. Here the normal order \(L(n)\) of \(\omega(n)\) serves as the mean, and \(\sqrt{L(n)}\) as the standard deviation. Likewise, the quantity \(Q(p-1)\) is normally distributed (with \(p\) prime), as was established by \textit{H. Halberstam} [J. Lond. Math. Soc. 30, 43--53 (1955; Zbl 0064.04202); 31, 1--14, 14--27 (1956; Zbl 0071.04203)]. Let \(a\) be a squarefree integer and \(f_a(p)\) the order of \(a\) modulo \(p\). \textit{M. R. Murty} and the author [Can. J. Math. 56, No. 2, 356--372 (2004; Zbl 1061.11052)] established, under the assumption of a quasi Generalized Riemann Hypothesis (qGRH) for Dedekind zeta functions of Kummer fields of the type \(Q(\zeta_q,a^{1/q})\), that \((\omega(f_a(p))-L(p))/\sqrt{L(p)}\) is normally distributed. They used that for almost all \(p\), under qGRH, \(\omega(f_a(p))\) is rather close to \(\omega(p-1)\) and made use of Halberstam's result. In the present well-written paper the result of Ram Murty and the author is rederived by computing all the higher moments corresponding to \(\omega(f_a(p))\), and by comparing them, via the Fréchet-Shohat theorem, with estimates due to Halberstam concerning the moments of \(\omega(p-1)\).