A new approach to odd perfect numbers via GCDs

Abstract

Let $q^k n^2$ be an odd perfect number with special prime $q$. Define the GCDs $$G = \gcd\bigg(\sigma(q^k),\sigma(n^2)\bigg)$$ $$H = \gcd\bigg(n^2,\sigma(n^2)\bigg)$$ and $$I = \gcd\bigg(n,\sigma(n^2)\bigg).$$ We prove that $G \times H = I^2$. (Note that it is trivial to show that $G \mid I$ and $I \mid H$ both hold.) We then compute expressions for $G, H,$ and $I$ in terms of $\sigma(q^k)/2, n,$ and $\gcd\bigg(\sigma(q^k)/2,n\bigg)$. Afterwards, we prove that if $G = H = I$, then $\sigma(q^k)/2$ is not squarefree. Other natural and related results are derived further. Lastly, we conjecture that the set $$\mathscr{A} = \{m : \gcd(m,\sigma(m^2))=\gcd(m^2,\sigma(m^2))\}$$ has asymptotic density zero.