An example in Beurling's theory of primes (Q4236019)

Let \(P=\{1<p_1\leq p_2\leq \cdots\leq p_k\leq p_{k+1}\to\infty\}\) be a sequence of real numbers (generalized primes), and let \(N\) be the set of numbers which are finite products of elements of \(P\) (generalized or Beurling numbers). Furthermore, \(P(x)\) and \(N(x)\) denote the counting functions of the sets \(P\) and \(N\), respectively. Then the so-called direct problem means: Given some information about \(P(x)\), what can be said about the behaviour of \(N(x)\) for large \(x\)? In the note under review the author assumes \[ P(x)=\text{ Li}(x)+O\bigl(x\,e^{-\sqrt{\log x}}\bigr). \] Then it is well known that \[ N(x)=cx+O\bigl(x \exp(-\theta(\log x)^a)\bigr) \] holds for some \(c,\theta>0\) with \(a=0.2\) (\textit{P. Malliavin}, 1961) or \(a=0.33\) (\textit{H. G. Diamond}, 1970). Let \(A\) be the \(\sup\) of all suitable constants \(a\). The author proves in this very readable note that \(A\leq0.5\) holds. He uses classical methods from analytic number theory such as complex integration of the related \(\zeta\)-function and the calculus of continuous distribution of Borel measures developed by H. G. Diamond.