Arithmetic exponent pairs for algebraic trace functions and applications

Abstract

We study short sums of algebraic trace functions via the $q$-analogue of van der Corput method, and develop methods of arithmetic exponent pairs that coincide with the classical case while the moduli has sufficiently good factorizations. As an application, we prove a quadratic analogue of Brun-Titchmarsh theorem on average, bounding the number of primes $p\leqslant X$ with $p^2+1\equiv0\pmod q$. The other two applications include a larger level of distribution of divisor functions in arithmetic progressions and a sub-Weyl subconvex bound of Dirichlet $L$-functions studied previously by Irving.