Properties of the recursive divisor function and the number of ordered factorizations

Abstract

We recently introduced the recursive divisor function $\kappa_x(n)$, a recursive analogue of the usual divisor function. Here we calculate its Dirichlet series, which is ${\zeta(s-x)}/(2 - \zeta(s))$. We show that $\kappa_x(n)$ is related to the ordinary divisor function by $\kappa_x * \sigma_y = \kappa_y * \sigma_x$, where * denotes the Dirichlet convolution. Using this, we derive several identities relating $\kappa_x$ and some standard arithmetic functions. We also clarify the relation between $\kappa_0$ and the much-studied number of ordered factorizations $K(n)$, namely, $\kappa_0 = {\bf 1} * K$.