On sum-intersective sets (Q921030)

A set \(H\) of integers is called sum-intersective if for every set \(A\) of positive upper density the equation \(a+a'=h\) has a solution with \(a,a'\in A\), \(h\in H\). ``Natural'' sets do not have this property, since such a set must intersect every arithmetic progression of even numbers. Probabilistic arguments show the existence of a sum-intersective set satisfying \(H(x)=\sum_{h\in H,\ h\leq x}1\ll (\log x)^{2+\varepsilon}\) [the reviewer, Astérisque 147/148, 173--182 (1986; Zbl 0625.10046)], but constructions had more than \(x^c\) elements. In this paper the following thinner construction is given. Let \[ H=\{mp^k : m\leq p,\ k\geq 0.2 (\log p)^{1/3}(\log \log p)^{-2/3}\}, \] where \(p\) runs over prime numbers. This set, whose counting function is \[ H(x)<\exp c(\log x)^{3/4}(\log \log x)^{1/2}, \] is proved to be sum-intersective. The proof is based on the Hardy-Littlewood-Vinogradov method.