In this Ph.D. thesis, written under the direction of D.B. Zagier and R.W. Bruggeman, we study the mock theta functions, that were introduced by Ramanujan. We show how they can be interpreted in the theory of (real-analytic) modular forms. In Chapter 1 we give results for Lerch sums (also called Appell functions, or generalized Lambert series). In Chapter 2 we consider indefinite theta functions of type (r-1,1). Chapter 3 deals with Fourier coefficients of meromorphic Jacobi forms. In Chapter 4 we use the results from Chapter 2 to give explicit results for 8 of the 10 fifth order mock theta functions and all 3 seventh order functions, that were originally defined by Ramanujan. The result is that we can find a correction term, which is a period integral of a weight 3/2 unary theta functions, such that if we add it to the mock theta function, we get a weight 1/2 real-analytic modular form, which is annihilated by the hyperbolic Laplacian.
We evaluate regularized theta lifts for Lorentzian lattices in three different ways. In particular, we obtain formulas for their values at special points involving coefficients of mock theta functions. By comparing the different evaluations, we derive recurrences for the coefficients of mock theta functions, such as Hurwitz class numbers, Andrews' spt-function, and Ramanujan's mock theta functions.
Recently, Garthwaite-Penniston have shown that the coefficients of Ramanujan's mock theta function $ω$ satisfy infinitely many congruences of Ramanujan-type. In this work we give the first explicit examples of congruences for Ramanujan's mock theta function $ω$ and another mock theta function $\mathcal{C}$.
We present completions of mock theta functions to harmonic weak Maass forms of weight $1/2$ and algebraic formulas for the coefficients of mock theta functions. We give several harmonic weak Maass forms of weight $1/2$ that have mock theta functions as their holomorphic part. Using these harmonic weak Maass forms and the Millson theta lift we compute finite algebraic formulas for the coefficients of the appearing mock theta functions in terms of traces of singular moduli.
We obtain four Hecke-type double sums for three of Ramanujan's third order mock theta functions. We discuss how these four are related to the new mock theta functions of Andrews' work on $q$-orthogonal polynomials and Bringmann, Hikami, and Lovejoy's work on unified Witten-Reshetikhin-Turaev invariants of certain Seifert manifolds. We then prove identities between these new mock theta functions by first expressing them in terms of the universal mock theta function.
In 2013, Lemke Oliver classified all eta-quotients which are theta functions. In this paper, we unify the eta-theta functions by constructing mock modular forms from the eta-theta functions with even characters, such that the shadows of these mock modular forms are given by the eta-theta functions with odd characters. In addition, we prove that our mock modular forms are quantum modular forms. As corollaries, we establish simple finite hypergeometric expressions which may be used to evaluate Eichler integrals of the odd eta-theta functions, as well as some curious algebraic identities.
Referring to Ramanujan's original definition of a mock theta function, Rhoades asked for explicit formulas for radial limits of the universal mock theta functions $g_2$ and $g_3$. Recently, Bringmann and Rolen found such formulas for specializations of $g_2$. Here we treat the case of $g_3$, generalizing radial limit results for the rank generating function of Folsom, Ono, and Rhoades. Furthermore, we find expressions for radial limits of fifth order mock theta functions different from those of Bajpai, Kimport, Liang, Ma, and Ricci.
In this paper we consider the first four of the eight identities between the tenth order mock theta functions, found in Ramanujan's lost notebook. These were originally proved by Choi. Here we give an alternative (much shorter) proof.
We find the Hecke-Rogers type series representations of generating functions of the Hurwitz class numbers which is very close to certain mock theta functions. We also prove two combinatorial interpretation of Hurwitz class numbers appeared on OEIS.
We offer some further applications of some Bailey pairs related to some mock theta functions which were established in a recent study. We discuss and offer some double-sum $q$-series, with new relationships among mock theta functions. We also offer a new relationship between the Bailey pair of Bringmann and Kane with that of Andrews.
The mock theta conjectures are ten identities involving Ramanujan's fifth-order mock theta functions. The conjectures were proven by Hickerson in 1988 using q-series methods. Using methods from the theory of harmonic Maass forms, specifically work of Zwegers and Bringmann-Ono, Folsom reduced the proof of the mock theta conjectures to a finite computation. Both of these approaches involve proving the identities individually, relying on work of Andrews-Garvan. Here we give a unified proof of the mock theta conjectures by realizing them as an equality between two nonholomorphic vector-valued modu…
In this paper we offer some new identities associated with mock theta functions and establish new Bailey pairs related to indefinite quadratic forms. We believe our proof is instructive use of changing base of Bailey pairs, and offers new information on some Bailey pairs that have proven important in the study of Mock theta functions.
We obtain some Bailey pairs associated with indefinite quadratic forms with the $β_n$ connected to a finite sum. A new general identity is given, which provides identities for $q$-hypergeometric series, including mock theta functions.
In a private communication, K. Ono conjectured that any mock theta function of weight 1/2 or 3/2 can be congruent modulo a prime $p$ to a weakly holomorphic modular form for just a few values of $p$. In this paper we describe when such a congruence occurs. More precisely we show that it depends on the $p$-adic valuation of the mock theta function itself. In order to do so, we construct a family of mock theta functions in terms of derivatives of the Appell sum, which have a special Fourier expansion at infinity.
We compute asymptotic estimates for the Fourier coefficients of two mixed mock modular forms, which come from Bailey pairs derived by Lovejoy and Osburn. To do so, we employ the circle method due to Wright and a modified Tauberian theorem. We encounter cancellation in our estimates for one of the mock theta functions due to the auxiliary function $θ_{n,p}$ arising from the splitting of Hickerson and Mortenson. We deal with this by using higher order asymptotic expansions for the Jacobi theta functions.
We prove analytic and combinatorial identities reminiscent of Schur's classical partition theorem. Specifically, we show that certain families of overpartitions whose parts satisfy gap conditions are equinumerous with partitions whose parts satisfy congruence conditions. Furthermore, if small parts are excluded, the resulting overpartitions are generated by the product of a modular form and Gordon and McIntosh's universal mock theta function. Finally, we give an interpretation for the universal mock theta function at real arguments in terms of certain conditional probabilities.
Inspired by the original definition of mock theta functions by Ramanujan, a number of authors have considered the question of explicitly determining their behavior at the cusps. Moreover, these examples have been connected to important objects such as quantum modular forms and ranks and cranks by Folsom, Ono, and Rhoades. Here we solve the general problem of understanding Ramanujan's definition explicitly for any weight $\frac12$ mock theta function, answering a question of Rhoades. Moreover, as a side product, our results give a large, explicit family of modular forms.
We study the divisibility properties of the partition function associated with the eighth order mock theta function $V_0(q)$, introduced by Gordon and McIntosh. We obtain congruences modulo powers of 2 for certain coefficients of the partition function, akin to Ramanujan's partition congruences. Further, we also present several infinite families of congruences molulo 13, 25 and 27.
By developing a connection between partial theta functions and Appell-Lerch sums, we find and prove a formula which expresses Hecke-type double sums in terms of Appell-Lerch sums and theta functions. Not only does our formula prove classical Hecke-type double sum identities such as those found in work Kac and Peterson on affine Lie Algebras and Hecke modular forms, but once we have the Hecke-type forms for Ramanujan's mock theta functions our formula gives straightforward proofs of many of the classical mock theta function identities. In particular, we obtain a new proof of the mock theta conj…
Let $β(q)=\sum_{n\ge 0} \mathfrak{b}(n)q^n$ be a second order mock theta function defined by $$\sum_{n\ge 0}\frac{q^{n(n+1)}(-q^2;q^2)_n}{(q;q^2)_{n+1}^2}.$$ In this paper, we obtain an infinite family of congruences modulo powers of $3$ for $\mathfrak{b}(n)$.
We compute effective bounds for $α(n)$, the Fourier coefficients of Ramunujan's mock theta function $f(q)$ utilizing a finite algebraic formula due to Bruinier and Schwagenscheidt. We then use these bounds to prove two conjectures of Hou and Jagadeesan on the convexity and maximal multiplicative properties of the even and odd partition rank counting functions.
Recently, Andrews, Dixit and Yee introduced partition functions associated with Ramanujan/Watson third order mock theta functions $ω(q)$ and $ν(q)$. In this paper, we find several new exact generating functions for those partition functions as well as the associated smallest parts functions and deduce several new congruences modulo powers of 5.
We prove that the coefficients of certain mock theta functions possess no linear congruences modulo 3. We prove similar results for the moduli 2 and 3 for a wide class of weakly holomorphic modular forms and discuss applications. This extends work of Radu on the behavior of the ordinary partition function modulo 2 and 3.
Recently, Andrews, Dixit and Yee defined two partition functions $p_ω(n)$ and $p_ν(n)$ that are related with Ramanujan's mock theta functions $ω(q)$ and $ν(q)$, respectively. In this paper, we present two variable generalizations of their results. As an application, we reprove their results on $p_ω(n)$ and $p_ν(n)$ that are analogous to Euler's pentagonal number theorem.
We exhibit an infinite family of vector-valued mock theta functions indexed by positive integers coprime to $6$. These are built from specializations of Dyson's rank generating function and related functions studied by Watson, Gordon, and McIntosh. The associated completed harmonic Maass forms transform according to the Weil representation attached to a rank one lattice. This strengthens a 2010 result of Bringmann and Ono and a 2019 result of Garvan.
We classify the optimal mock Jacobi forms of weight one with rational coefficients. The space they span is thirty-four-dimensional, and admits a distinguished basis parameterized by genus zero groups of isometries of the hyperbolic plane. We show that their Fourier coefficients can be expressed explicitly in terms of singular moduli, and obtain positivity conditions which distinguish the optimal mock Jacobi forms that appear in umbral moonshine. We find that all of Ramanujan's mock theta functions can be expressed simply in terms of the optimal mock Jacobi forms with rational coefficients.
The generating function of partitions with repeated (resp. distinct) parts such that each odd part is less than twice the smallest part is shown to be the third order mock theta function $ω(q)$ (resp. $ν(-q)$). Similar results for partitions with the corresponding restriction on each even part are also obtained, one of which involves the third order mock theta function $ϕ(q)$. Congruences for the smallest parts functions associated to such partitions are obtained. Two analogues of the partition-theoretic interpretation of Euler's pentagonal theorem are also obtained.
The bilateral series corresponding to many of the third-, fifth-, sixth- and eighth order mock theta functions may be derived as special cases of $_2ψ_2$ series \[ \sum_{n=-\infty}^{\infty}\frac{(a,c;q)_n}{(b,d;q)_n}z^n. \] Three transformation formulae for this series due to Bailey are used to derive various transformation and summation formulae for both these mock theta functions and the corresponding bilateral series. \\ New and existing summation formulae for these bilateral series are also used to make explicit in a number of cases the fact that for a mock theta function, say $χ(q)$, and …
Let $f(q)$ denote Ramanujan's mock theta function \[f(q) = \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} a(n) q^{n} := 1+\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \frac{q^{n^{2}}}{(1+q)^{2}(1+q^{2})^{2}\cdots(1+q^{n})^{2}}.\] It is known that there are many linear congruences for the coefficients of $f(q)$ and other mock theta functions. We prove that if the linear congruence $a(mn+t) \equiv 0 \pmod{\ell}$ holds for some prime $\ell \geq 5$, then $\ell | m$ and $(\frac{24t-1}{\ell}) \neq (\frac{-1}{\ell})$. We prove analogous results for the mock theta function $ω(q)$ and for a large class of weakly holomorphic modular forms which includes …
We present some applications of the Kudla-Millson and the Millson theta lift. The two lifts map weakly holomorphic modular functions to vector valued harmonic Maass forms of weight $3/2$ and $1/2$, respectively. We give finite algebraic formulas for the coefficients of Ramanujan's mock theta functions $f(q)$ and $ω(q)$ in terms of traces of CM-values of a weakly holomorphic modular function. Further, we construct vector valued harmonic Maass forms whose shadows are unary theta functions, and whose holomorphic parts have rational coefficients. This yields a rationality result for the coefficien…
Let M(q)=\sum c(n) q^n be one of Ramanujan's mock theta functions. We establish the existence of infinitely many linear congruences of the form c(An+B) \equiv 0 (mod \ell^j), where A is a multiple of \ell and an auxiliary prime p. Moreover, we give an effectively computable upper bound on the smallest such p for which these congruences hold. The effective nature of our results is based on prior works of Lichtenstein and Treneer.
We consider the problem of whether or not certain mock theta functions vanish at the roots of unity with an odd order. We prove for any such function $f(q)$ that there exists a constant $C>0$ such that for any odd integer $n>C$ the function $f(q)$ does vanish at the primitive $n$-th roots of unity. This leads us to conjecture that $f(q)$ does not vanish at the primitive $n$-th roots of unity for any odd positive integer $n$.
Using results from Ramanujan's lost notebook, Zudilin recently gave an insightful proof of a radial limit result of Folsom, Ono, and Rhoades for mock theta functions. Here we see that the author's previous work on the dual nature of Appell--Lerch sums and partial theta functions and on constructing bilateral $q$-series with mixed mock modular behaviour is well-suited for such radial limits. We present five more radial limit results which follow from mixed mock modular bilateral $q$-hypergeometric series. We also obtain the mixed mock modular bilateral series for a universal mock theta function…
We give simple proofs of Hecke-Rogers indefinite binary theta series identities for the two Ramanujan fifth order mock theta functions $χ_0(q)$ and $χ_1(q)$ and all three of Ramanujan's seventh order mock theta functions. We find that the coefficients of the three mock theta functions of order 7 are surprisingly related.
We show that all of Ramanujan's mock theta functions of order 3, Watson's three additional mock theta functions of order 3, the Rogers-Ramanujan q-series, and 6 mock theta functions of order 5 take on irrational values at the points q=\pm 1/2,\pm 1/3,\pm 1/4,...
In this paper we introduce k-run overpartitions as natural analogs to partitions without k-sequences, which were first defined and studied by Holroyd, Liggett, and Romik. Following their work as well as that of Andrews, we prove a number of results for k-run overpartitions, beginning with a double summation q-hypergeometric series representation for the generating functions. In the special case of 1-run overpartitions we further relate the generating function to one of Ramanujan's mock theta functions. Finally, we describe the relationship between k-run overpartitions and certain sequences of …
Unary theta functions have played a significant role in the theory of holomorphic modular forms and modular $L$-functions. A partial theta functions is defined analogously, but the sum is over part of the integer lattice. Such sums fail to have modular properties. We give a construction which unifies these partial theta functions with the mock theta function introduced by Ramanujan. The modularity of Ramanujan's mock theta functions has only recently been understood by the work of Sander Zwegers.
Sander Zwegers showed that Ramanujan's mock theta functions are $q$-hypergeometric series, whose $q$-expansion coefficients are half of the Fourier coefficients of a non-holomorphic modular form. George Andrews, Henri Cohen, Freeman Dyson, and Dean Hickerson found a pair of $q$-hypergeometric series each of which contains half of the Fourier coefficients of Maass waveform of eigenvalue $1/4$. This series of papers shows that a $q$-series construction, called ``renormalization'', yields the other half of the Fourier coefficients from a series which contains half of them. This construction unifi…
Standard applications of the Bailey chain preserve mixed mock modularity but not mock modularity. After illustrating this with some examples, we show how to use a change of base in Bailey pairs due to Bressoud, Ismail and Stanton to explicitly construct families of q-hypergeometric multisums which are mock theta functions. We also prove identities involving some of these multisums and certain classical mock theta functions.
We find two involutions on partitions that lead to partition identities for Ramanujan's third order mock theta functions $ϕ(-q)$ and $ψ(-q)$. We also give an involution for Fine's partition identity on the mock theta function f(q). The two classical identities of Ramanujan on third order mock theta functions are consequences of these partition identities. Our combinatorial constructions also apply to Andrews' generalizations of Ramanujan's identities.
Ramanujan's last letter to Hardy explored the asymptotic properties of modular forms, as well as those of certain interesting $q$-series which he called \emph{mock theta functions}. For his mock theta function $f(q)$, he claimed that as $q$ approaches an even order $2k$ root of unity $ζ$, \[\lim_{q\to ζ} \big(f(q) - (-1)^k (1-q)(1-q^3)(1-q^5)\cdots (1-2q + 2q^4 - \cdots)\big) = O(1),\] and hinted at the existence of similar statements for his other mock theta functions. Recent work of Folsom-Ono-Rhoades provides a closed formula for the implied constant in this radial limit of $f(q)$. Here, by…
In this paper, we compute the Zwegers's modification of the mock theta functions $Φ^{[m,0] \, \ast}$ and study the modular transformation properties of the indefinite modular forms which appear in the explicit formula for the modified functions $\tildeΦ^{[m,0] \, \ast}$.
We present q-series proofs of four identities involving sixth order mock theta functions from Ramanujan's lost notebook. We also show how Ramanujan's identities can be used to give a quick proof of four sixth order identities of Berndt and Chan.
We prove a general result on Bailey pairs and show that two Bailey pairs of Bringmann and Kane are special cases. We also show how to use a change of base formula to pass from the pairs of Bringmann and Kane to pairs used by Andrews in his study of Ramanujan's seventh order mock theta functions. We derive several more Bailey pairs of a similar type and use these to construct a number of new q-hypergeometric double sums which are mock theta functions. Finally, we prove identities between some of these mock theta double sums and classical mock theta functions.
We use a generalized Lambert series identity due to the first author to present q-series proofs of recent results of Imamoglu, Raum and Richter concerning recursive formulas for the coefficients of two 3rd order mock theta functions. Additionally, we discuss an application of this identity to other mock theta functions.
