The exceptional set for sums of unlike powers of primes (Q477880)

Let \(E(N)\) be the number of positive even integers of size at most \(N\) which cannot be represented in the form \(p_1^2+p_2^3+p_3^4+p_4^5\), where \(p_i\), \(1\leq i\leq 4\), are prime numbers. The author proves an upper bound for \(E(N)\) of the form \(E(N)\ll N^{15/16+\varepsilon}\). This improves on earlier works of Pracher, Ren and Tsang and most recently one of \textit{C. Bauer} [Rocky Mt. J. Math. 38, No. 4, 1073--1090 (2008; Zbl 1232.11101)]. The proof is based on an application of the Hardy-Littlewood circle method and uses on the minor arcs mean value estimates introduced in earlier work of the author [Proc. London Math. Soc. 108, No. 6, 1593--1622 (2014; Zbl 1370.11116)].