On the mean value of the index of composition of an integer (Q5920515)

For each integer \(n\geq 2\), let \(\lambda(n)= \frac{\log n}{\log\gamma(n)}\) be the index of composition of \(n\), where \(\gamma(n)= \prod_{p|n}p\). For convenience, we write \(\lambda(1)= \gamma(1)= 1\). The index of composition of an integer measures essentially the multiplicity of its prime factors. It was shown by \textit{J. M. De Koninck} and \textit{N. Doyon} [Monatsh. Math. 139, No. 2, 151--167 (2003; Zbl 1039.11059)] that the average order of \(\lambda(n)\) is 1 and more precisely that \[ \sum_{n\leq x}\lambda(n)= x+O\biggl(\frac{x}{\log x}\biggr). \tag{1} \] A similar result was obtained for \(\sum_{n\leq x} \frac{1}{\lambda(n)}\). Here, the authors prove a short interval version of (1) using a result of \textit{M. Filaseta} and \textit{O. Trifonov} [Proc. Lond. Math. Soc. (3) 73, No. 2, 241--278 (1996; Zbl 0867.11053)]. Then, they provide estimates for \(\sum_{x\leq n\leq x+\sqrt{x}}\lambda(n)\) and \(\sum_{x\leq n\leq x+\sqrt{x}} 1/\lambda(n)\) with an error term \(O(\frac{x}{\log^{r+1}x})\), where \(r\) is any given positive integer. From these, they deduce a sharpening of the estimate (1) and similarly for \(\sum_{n\leq x}\frac{1}{\lambda(n)}\). Finally they study the sum of \(\lambda\) running over shifted primes. The authors prove: Theorem 1. Let \(h(x)= x^{1/5}\log^3x\). Then \[ \sum_{x\leq n\leq x+h(x)} (\lambda(n)-1)= O\biggl(\frac{h(x)}{\log x}\biggr) \tag{2} \] and \[ \sum_{x\leq n\leq x+h(x)} \biggl(1-\frac{1}{\lambda(n)}\biggr)= O\biggl(\frac{h(x)}{\log x}\biggr) \tag{3} \] Theorem 2. Given any positive integer \(r\), there exist computable constants \(c_1,c_2,\dots,c_r, c_2',\dots,c_r'\) such that \[ \frac{1}{\sqrt{x}} \sum_{x\leq n\leq x+\sqrt{x}} \lambda(n)=1+c_1 \frac{1}{\log x}+ c_2\frac{1}{\log^2x}+\cdots+ c_r\frac{1}{\log^rx}+ O\biggl(\frac{1}{\log^{r+1}x}\biggr) \tag{4} \] and \[ \sum_{n\leq x}\lambda(n)= x+ c_1\frac{x}{\log x}+ c_2'\frac{x}{\log^2x}+\cdots+ c_r'\frac{x}{\log^rx}+ O\biggl(\frac{x}{\log^{r+1}x}\biggr). \tag{5} \] Theorems 3 and 4 give analogous asymptotic results for \(d_1,d_2,\dots,d_r, d_2',\dots,d_r'\) such that \(\sum_{x\leq n\leq x+\sqrt{x}}= \sum_{n\leq x}\frac{1}{\lambda(n)}\) as well as \(\sum_{x<p\leq x+x^{2/3}} \lambda(p+1)\) and \(\sum_{p\leq x}\lambda(p+1)\).