Pointwise convergence of polynomial multiple ergodic averages along the primes (2505.15549v1)

Abstract: We establish pointwise almost everywhere convergence for the polynomial multiple ergodic averages $$\frac{1}{N} \sum_{n=1}^N \La(n) f_1(T^{P_1(n)} x)\cdots f_k(T^{P_k(n)} x)$$ as $N\to \infty$, where $\La$ is the von Mangoldt function, $T \colon X \to X$ is an invertible measure-preserving transformation of a probability space $(X,\nu)$, $P_1,\ldots, P_k$ are polynomials with integer coefficients and distinct degrees, and $f_1,\ldots,f_k\in L^\infty(X)$. This pointwise almost everywhere convergence result can be seen as a refinement of the norm convergence result obtained in Wooley--Ziegler (Amer. J. Math, 2012) in the case of polynomials with distinct degrees. Building on the foundational work of Krause--Mirek--Tao (Ann. of Math., 2022), Kosz--Mirek--Peluse--Wright (arXiv: 2411.09478, 2024), and Krause--Mousavi--Tao--Ter\"{a}v\"{a}inen (arXiv: 2409.10510, 2024), we develop a multilinear circle method for von Mangoldt-weighted (equivalently, prime-weighted) averages. This method combines harmonic analysis techniques across multiple groups with the newest inverse theorem from additive combinatorics. In particular, the principal innovations of this framework include: (i) an inverse theorem and a Weyl-type inequality for multilinear Cram\'{e}r-weighted averages; (ii) a multilinear Rademacher-Menshov inequality; and (iii) an arithmetic multilinear estimate.