On the distribution of values of Hardy's \(Z\)-functions in short intervals. II: The \(q\)-aspect (Q2319504)

Let \(\chi\) be a primitive Dirichlet character of conductor \(q>1\). The \textit{Hardy Z-function} \(Z(t, \chi)\), corresponding to the Dirichlet \(L(s, \chi)\) function, is defined by \[Z(t, \chi) = \Psi \left (\frac{1}{2} + it, \chi \right )^{-1/2}L\left (\frac{1}{2} + it, \chi \right ),\] where \(\Psi(s, \chi)\) is the factor from the functional equation \[L(s, \chi) = \Psi(s, \chi) L(1-s, \overline\chi).\] For \(2 \leqslant H \leqslant T\), let \[I_+(T, H; \chi) = \{T \leqslant t \leqslant H : Z(t, \chi) > 0\},\] \[I_-(T, H; \chi) = \{T \leqslant t \leqslant H : Z(t, \chi) < 0\}.\] Theorem. Let \(q \leqslant T^\eta\), \(H = T^\vartheta\) with \(\frac{1}{2} + \frac{1}{2}\eta < \vartheta \leqslant 1\). Then, as \(T \to \infty\), we have \[\mu(I_\pm (T, H; \chi)) \gg \frac{\phi(q)^2}{4^{\omega(q)}q^2}H\] uniformly in \(q\), \(T\) and \(H\), where the implied constants depend only on \(\eta\) and \(\vartheta\). Here \(\mu\) is the Lebesgue measure on the line, \(\phi\) is the Euler totient function and \(\omega(q)\) denotes the number of distinct prime factors of \(q\). For Part I, see [the author, ibid. 7, No. 3, 34--50 (2017; Zbl 1456.11157)].