Related papers: When the sieve works II

We introduce a simple sieve-theoretic approach to studying partial sums of multiplicative functions which are close to their mean value. This enables us to obtain various new results as well as strengthen existing results with new proofs.…

A natural number $n$ is called semi-prime if it is a product of two primes or a square of a prime. We denote $\mathbb{P}_2$ the set of all semi-primes. Our goal is to prove that for fixed integer number $a$ and sufficiently large $x$ the…

We develop a sieve that can detect primes in multiplicatively structured sets under certain conditions. We apply it to obtain a new $L$-function free proof of Linnik's problem of bounding the least prime $p$ such that $p\equiv a\pmod q$…

In this paper we propose an algorithm that correctly discards a set of numbers (from a previously defined sieve) with an interval of integers. Leopoldo's Theorem states that the remaining integer numbers will generate and count the complete…

This article develops a new sieve method which by adding an additional axiom to the classical formulation breaks the well-known parity problem and allows one to detect primes in thin, interesting integer sequences. In the accompanying paper…

A sieve is constructed for ordinary twin primes of the form 6m+/-1 that are characterized by their twin rank m. It has no parity problem. Non-rank numbers are identified and counted using odd primes p>=5. Twin- and non-ranks make up the set…

Let $p_n$ be $n$th prime, and let $(S_n)_{n=1}^\infty:=(S_n)$ be the sequence of the sums of the first $2n$ consecutive primes, that is, $S_n=\sum_{k=1}^{2n}p_k$ with $n=1,2,\ldots$. Heuristic arguments supported by the corresponding…

The twin prime conjecture asserts that there are infinitely many pairs of primes that differ by two. While recent advances have improved our understanding of bounded prime gaps, the conjecture remains unresolved. This paper refines the…

Let $k\geq 2$ and $\mathcal{P} (n) = (A_1 n + B_1 ) \cdots (A_k n + B_k)$ where all the $A_i, B_i$ are integers. Suppose that $\mathcal{P} (n)$ has no fixed prime divisors. For each choice of $k$ it is known that there exists an integer…

For $n \geq 3,$ let $ p_n $ denote the $n^{\rm th}$ prime number. Let $[ \; ]$ denote the floor or greatest integer function. For a positive integer $m,$ let $\pi_2(m)$ denote the number of twin primes not exceeding $m.$ The twin prime…

Using Watt's mean value theorem and a delicate sieve decomposition, the author shows that the interval $[x, x+x^{\frac{1}{2}+\varepsilon}]$ contains an integer with a prime factor larger than $x^{\frac{35}{36}-\varepsilon}$ for sufficiently…

We establish new mean value theorems for primes of size $x$ in arithmetic progressions to moduli as large as $x^{3/5-\epsilon}$ when summed with suitably well-factorable weights. This extends well-known work of Bombieri, Friedlander and…

We show that for integers $n$, whose ratios of consecutive divisors are bounded above by an arbitrary constant, the normal order of the number of prime factors is $C \log \log n$, where $C=(1-e^{-\gamma})^{-1} = 2.280...$ and $\gamma$ is…

We adopt A. J. Irving's sieve method to study the almost-prime values produced by products of irreducible polynomials evaluated at prime arguments. This generalizes the previous results of Irving and Kao, who separately examined the…

Let $m \in \mathbb{N}$ be large. We show that there exist infinitely many primes $q_{1}< \cdot\cdot\cdot < q_{m+1}$ such that \[ q_{m+1}-q_{1}=O(e^{7.63m}) \] and $q_{j}+2$ has at most \[ \frac{7.36m}{\log 2} + \frac{4\log m}{\log 2} + 21…

The author gives nontrivial upper and lower bounds for the number of primes in the interval $[x - x^{\theta}, x]$ for some $0.52 \leqslant \theta \leqslant 0.525$, showing that the interval $[x - x^{0.52}, x]$ contains prime numbers for all…

We study the distribution of large prime factors of a random element $u$ of arithmetic sequences satisfying simple regularity and equidistribution properties. We show that if such an arithmetic sequence has level of distribution $1$ the…

Let $n$ be a positive integer and $f(x) := x^{2^n}+1$. In this paper, we study orders of primes dividing products of the form $P_{m,n}:=f(1)f(2)\cdots f(m)$. We prove that if $m > \max\{10^{12},4^{n+1}\}$, then there exists a prime divisor…

We prove that for all $n\geq 1$ there exists a number between $n^2$ and $(n+1)^2$ with at most 4 prime factors. This is the first result of this kind that holds for every $n\geq 1$ rather than just sufficiently large $n$. Our approach…

In 2016, Dummit, Granville, and Kisilevsky showed that the proportion of semiprimes (products of two primes) not exceeding a given $x$, whose factors are congruent to $3$ modulo $4$, is more than a quarter when $x$ is sufficiently large.…