A Smooth Analytical Approximation of the Prime Characteristic Function

We construct a smooth real-valued function P(n) in [0,1], defined via a triple integral with a periodic kernel, that approximates the characteristic function of prime numbers. The function is built to suppress when n is divisible by some m < n, and to remain close to 1 otherwise. We prove that P(n) approaches 1 for prime n and P(n) is less than 1 for composite n, under appropriate limits of the smoothing parameters. The construction is fully differentiable and admits both asymptotic and finite approximations, offering a continuous surrogate for primality that is compatible with analytical, numerical, and optimization methods. We compare our approach with classical number-theoretic techniques, explore its computational aspects, and suggest potential applications in spectral analysis, machine learning, and probabilistic models of primes.

Publication Details

Journal
ArXiv.org
Published
2025-04-19
Primary Topic
Analytic Number Theory Research
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

A Smooth Analytical Approximation of the Prime Characteristic Function

ArXiv.org
Analytic Number Theory Research
article

A Smooth Analytical Approximation of the Prime Characteristic Function

article en

Abstract

We construct a smooth real-valued function P(n) in [0,1], defined via a triple integral with a periodic kernel, that approximates the characteristic function of prime numbers. The function is built to suppress when n is divisible by some m < n, and to remain close to 1 otherwise. We prove that P(n) approaches 1 for prime n and P(n) is less than 1 for composite n, under appropriate limits of the smoothing parameters. The construction is fully differentiable and admits both asymptotic and finite approximations, offering a continuous surrogate for primality that is compatible with analytical, numerical, and optimization methods. We compare our approach with classical number-theoretic techniques, explore its computational aspects, and suggest potential applications in spectral analysis, machine learning, and probabilistic models of primes.

ArXiv.org
Openalex Percentile: Top 35%
Analytic Number Theory Research
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.

A Smooth Analytical Approximation of the Prime Characteristic Function · ArXiv.org (2025) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS