No label defined (Q4240079)

A modular form \(f\) with Fourier coefficients \(a(n)\) is called lacunary if \(\lim_{X \to\infty} A_f(X)/X =0\), where \(A_f(X)\) is the number of \(n<X\) for which \(a(n)\neq 0\). It is called superlacunary if it is a linear combination of elementary theta series of weight \({1\over 2}\) or \({3\over 2}\), examples of which are Jacobi's \(\theta\) and Dedekind's \(\eta\) and \(\eta^3\). It is believed that every lacunary half-integral weight modular form is superlacunary. A weaker statement is Gordon's \(\varepsilon\)-conjecture: If \(A_f(X)= O(X^{1- \varepsilon})\) for some \(\varepsilon>0\), then \(f\) is superlacunary. The author proves a stronger version of Gordon's \(\varepsilon\)-conjecture. If \(f\) is not superlacunary then \(A_f(X)\gg_fX/\log X\). The proof is short, but uses results from \textit{J. L. Waldspurger} [J. Math. Pures Appl. (9) 60, 375-484 (1981; Zbl 0468.10014)], \textit{S. Friedberg} and \textit{J. Hoffstein} [Ann. Math. (2) 142, 385-423 (1995; Zbl 0847.11026)], \textit{R. Greenberg} and \textit{G. Stevens} [Contemp. Math. 165, 183-211 (1994; Zbl 0846.11030)], and a lemma of the author and \textit{C. Skinner} [Invent. Math. 134, 651-660 (1998)].