ProofComplete

Zeta and L-Functions - Key Proof

We prove that Dirichlet LL-functions do not vanish at s=1s = 1, the key to Dirichlet's theorem on primes in arithmetic progressions.

ProofNon-Vanishing of L(1, Ο‡) for Non-Principal Ο‡

Let Ο‡\chi be a non-principal Dirichlet character modulo nn. We prove L(1,Ο‡)β‰ 0L(1, \chi) \neq 0.

Step 1: Logarithmic derivative

For Re(s)>1\text{Re}(s) > 1: βˆ’Lβ€²(s,Ο‡)L(s,Ο‡)=βˆ‘pΟ‡(p)log⁑pps+O(1)-\frac{L'(s, \chi)}{L(s, \chi)} = \sum_p \frac{\chi(p)\log p}{p^s} + O(1)

This follows from the Euler product L(s,Ο‡)=∏p(1βˆ’Ο‡(p)pβˆ’s)βˆ’1L(s, \chi) = \prod_p (1 - \chi(p)p^{-s})^{-1}.

Step 2: Consider the product over all characters

For characters Ο‡0,Ο‡1,…,χφ(n)βˆ’1\chi_0, \chi_1, \ldots, \chi_{\varphi(n)-1} modulo nn: ∏j=0Ο†(n)βˆ’1L(s,Ο‡j)=ΞΆ(s)β‹…βˆj=1Ο†(n)βˆ’1L(s,Ο‡j)\prod_{j=0}^{\varphi(n)-1}L(s, \chi_j) = \zeta(s) \cdot \prod_{j=1}^{\varphi(n)-1}L(s, \chi_j)

where Ο‡0\chi_0 is the principal character. Taking logarithmic derivatives: βˆ‘j=0Ο†(n)βˆ’1Lβ€²(s,Ο‡j)L(s,Ο‡j)=βˆ‘pAplog⁑pps\sum_{j=0}^{\varphi(n)-1}\frac{L'(s, \chi_j)}{L(s, \chi_j)} = \sum_p \frac{A_p\log p}{p^s}

where Ap=βˆ‘jΟ‡j(p)A_p = \sum_j \chi_j(p) depends on pβ€Šmodβ€Šnp \bmod n.

Step 3: Orthogonality of characters

By character orthogonality: βˆ‘jΟ‡j(a)=Ο†(n)\sum_j \chi_j(a) = \varphi(n) if a≑1(modn)a \equiv 1 \pmod{n} and 00 otherwise.

Therefore, the sum βˆ’Lβ€²(s,Ο‡0)L(s,Ο‡0)-\frac{L'(s, \chi_0)}{L(s, \chi_0)} has a positive contribution from all primes, dominating other terms.

Step 4: Approaching s=1s = 1

As sβ†’1+s \to 1^+: βˆ’Lβ€²(s,Ο‡0)L(s,Ο‡0)=1sβˆ’1+O(1)-\frac{L'(s, \chi_0)}{L(s, \chi_0)} = \frac{1}{s-1} + O(1)

since L(s,Ο‡0)L(s, \chi_0) has a simple pole at s=1s = 1 (essentially ΞΆ(s)\zeta(s) with finitely many Euler factors removed).

Step 5: Contradiction if L(1,Ο‡)=0L(1, \chi) = 0

If L(1,Ο‡j)=0L(1, \chi_j) = 0 for some non-principal Ο‡j\chi_j, then βˆ’Lβ€²(s,Ο‡j)L(s,Ο‡j)-\frac{L'(s, \chi_j)}{L(s, \chi_j)} has a simple pole at s=1s = 1 with residue related to the order of vanishing.

Summing over all characters, the left side becomes unbounded, but the right side: βˆ‘pAplog⁑pps\sum_p \frac{A_p\log p}{p^s}

is bounded as s→1+s \to 1^+ by character orthogonality (only finitely many primes contribute per residue class).

This contradiction proves L(1,Ο‡)β‰ 0L(1, \chi) \neq 0 for all non-principal Ο‡\chi.

Step 6: Implication for primes

The non-vanishing implies: βˆ‘p≑a(modn)1p=∞\sum_{p \equiv a \pmod{n}}\frac{1}{p} = \infty

Therefore infinitely many primes p≑a(modn)p \equiv a \pmod{n} exist, with asymptotic density 1/Ο†(n)1/\varphi(n) following from more refined analysis.

β– 
Remark

This proof, due to Dirichlet, was revolutionary: it introduced LL-functions and analytic methods to number theory. The techniqueβ€”relating zeros of LL-functions to distribution of primesβ€”became the paradigm for analytic number theory.

Modern proofs use similar ideas but with more sophisticated tools (Tauberian theorems, zero-free regions) to obtain effective bounds and error terms.