Sums of five almost equal prime squares (Q2581212)

The problem studied in this article is the representation of a sufficiently large integer~\(n\equiv5,\bmod\, 24\) in the form \(\sum_ {1 \leq i \leq 5}p_ i^ 2\) with \(\bigl| p_ i-\sqrt{n/5}\,| \leq n^ \delta\). \textit{J.~Y.~Liu} and \textit{T.~Zhan} [Acta Arith. 77, No. 4, 369--383 (1996; Zbl 0863.11067)] established such a result with \(\delta={9\over20}+\varepsilon\) on the basis of the Generalised Riemann Hypothesis, and in [Sci. China 41, 710--722 (1998; Zbl 0938.11048)] (improving on results of the present author) with \(\delta={1\over2}-{1 \over50}+\varepsilon\) without any hypothesis. The present author develops the method of Liu and Zhan and improves their value to \(\delta={1\over2}-{19\over850}+\varepsilon\). These improvements stem from better treatments of the major arcs in the circle method. The author's proof refers to a number of sources contributing material leading towards the appearance of the number \({19\over850}\). These include the English translation of the 1981 book [Goldbach Conjecture. Beijing: Science Press (1992; Zbl 0849.11080)], by \textit{C.~D.~Pan} and \textit{C.~B.~Pan}, their 1992 text (in Chinese) on Analytic Number Theory, and a paper by \textit{T. Zhan} [Acta Math. Sin., New Ser. 7, No. 3, 259--272 (1991; Zbl 0742.11048)] on representing a number as a sum of three almost equal primes. There is now a further improvement leading to the exponent \(\delta={1\over2}-{1\over35}+\varepsilon\) in a paper by \textit{G.~Lü} [Chin.\ Ann.\ Math., Ser. B 26, No. 2, 291--304 (2005; Zbl 1101.11043)].