Méthodes de crible et fonctions sommes des chiffres (Q3130198)

Let \(s_r(n)\) denote the sum of the digits in the development of the integer \(n\) to the base \(r\). The authors consider the quantity \(S(y;b,d;a,q)\) defined as the number of \(n<y\) with \(s_r(n) \equiv b \bmod d\) and \(n \equiv a \bmod q\). Define \[ E(y;b,d;a,q) = S(y;b,d;a,q) - q^{-1}S(y;b,d;1,1) , \] and consider \[ D(x;b,d) =\sum_{q<x^{\vartheta_r-\varepsilon}} \max_{y<x} \max_{1 \leq a \leq q} \bigl|E(y;b,d;a,q) \bigr| \] when \((d,r-1)=1\) (to avoid anomalies associated with ``casting out nines''). The main result is an analogue \(D(x;b,d) = O\bigl( x(\log 2x)^{-A}\bigr)\) of the Bombieri-Vinogradov theorem, valid for each \(A\) and each \(\varepsilon>0\), and a certain exponent \(\vartheta_r\). It is usually considered very satisfactory in this type of result if an exponent like \(\vartheta_r\) exceeds \(1 \over 2\); in this situation the exponent (which is the subject of a detailed study) satisfies \(\vartheta_r \to 1\) as \(r \to \infty\). The authors infer two corollaries. Consider the number \(N(x)\) of \(n \leq x\) for which \(s_r(n) \equiv b \bmod d\) and \(n\) is a \(P_2\)-number (having at most two prime factors). Then \(N(x) \gg x/\log x\). This depends on the reviewer's value 1.936 for the number \(\Lambda_2\) arising in the linear sieve with weights [Acta Arith. 40, 297-332 (1982; Zbl 0473.10030)], and also (for the case \(r=2\)) on reference to the authors' paper [Math. Ann. 305, 571-599 (1996; Zbl 0858.11050)]. Now let \(\Lambda_k\) denote the (quite different) von Mangoldt function \((\log)^k*\mu\) of order k. The authors obtain an asymptotic expression for \(\sum \Lambda_k(n)\), where the sum is over \(n,x\) with \(s_r(n) \equiv b \bmod d\). This uses a version of Bombieri's ``Asymptotic sieve'' due to \textit{J. Friedlander} and \textit{H. Iwaniec} [Ann. Sc. Norm. Super. Pisa, Cl. Sci., IV. Ser 5, 719-756 (1978; Zbl 0396.10037)].