On extending Pollard's theorem for \(t\)-representable sums (Q611040)

Let \(A, B\) be finite subsets of a commutative group, and let \(s_i\) be the number of elements that have at least \(i\) representations in the form \(a+b\), \(a\in A\), \(b\in B\). The author shows that if \(|A|, |B| \geq t\), then typically \[ s_1 + \ldots + s_t \geq t(|A|+ |B|) - 2t^2 +1, \] and describes the exceptional configurations. This is almost a common generalization of Pollard's theorem (case of a cyclic group of prime cardinality) and Kneser's theorem (case \(t=1\)), ``almost'' meaning that for \(G=\mathbb Z_p\) the last term is \(-t^2\). The author shows that such a strong form does not hold in general groups.