On the summatory function of a class of multiplicative functions (Q926642)

The authors consider an asymptotic formula for the mean value of one class of multiplicative functions, the error term in this formula being related to an estimate of its short interval analogue. Let \(g\) be a complex multiplicative arithmetical function such that (1) \(g(p)\) is nearly a constant \(\kappa\) whenever \(p\) is a prime number. Under the additional condition (2) \(| g(m)| \leq1\), they obtain an asymptotic equation of the type \[ S(x):=\sum_ {m\leq x}g(m)=M_ g(x,\kappa)+E(x),\tag{3} \] where the main term \(M_ g(x,\kappa)\) is of the order \(x(\log x)^ {\kappa-1}\), with an estimate of the error term \(E(x)\) depending on the size of the variation \[ W(x,h):=\sup_ {x\leq\xi\leq x+h}| S(e^ \xi)e^ {-\xi}-S(e^ x)e^ {-x}| \] of \(S\) on short intervals. In the proof the authors apply the strong Tauberian theorem of Delange and Kubilius' decomposition of the generating function \(\sum_ {m\geq1}g(m)m^ {-s}\).