University of Georgia

Mathematics Department Colloquium

Alexandru Zaharescu

McGill University

January 25 1999

Spacing statistics in number theory


Abstract: In this talk we discuss the distribution of several sequences which appear naturally in number theory. We explain the two standard ways to measure the distribution of spacings between elements of a given sequence, namely to compute the level spacings respectively the correlations of the elements of that sequence. We then present various (old and new) results on the distribution of prime numbers, fractional parts of polynomials, normal numbers to a given base, primitive roots and zeros of L-functions.