The divisor function at consecutive integers (Q5903090)

Let \(d(n)\) denote the divisor function. \textit{D. R. Heath-Brown} [Mathematika 31, 141-149 (1984; Zbl 0529.10040)] showed that the equation \(d(n)=d(n+1)\) has infinitely many solutions, and moreover obtained the bound \(\gg x(\log x)^{-7}\) for the number of solutions \(\leq x\). It has been conjectured that the right order of magnitude for this number is \(x(\log \log x)^{-1/2}.\) Taking a different approach, \textit{P. Erdős}, \textit{C. Pomerance} and \textit{A. Sarközy} recently proved that the number of positive integers \(n\leq x\), which satisfy \(d(n)=2^ i d(n+1)\) for some \(i\in \{0,1,2,3\}\), has order of magnitude \(x(\log \log x)^{- 1/2}.\) In the present paper, the ideas of Heath-Brown are combined with those of Erdős, Pomerance and Sarközy to show that the equation \(d(n)=d(n+1)\) has \(\gg x(\log \log x)^{-3}\) positive solutions \(n\leq x\).