Exterior power sums

Abstract

We prove that for every fixed $\lambda>0$ and all sufficiently large $n$, any $z_1,\dots,z_n\in\C$ with $|z_j|\geq1$ satisfy $\max_{2\leq k\leq n+1}|\sum_j z_j^k|>e^{-\lambda n}$. Consequently, the $n$th root of the optimal maximum tends to $1$, so no constant $C>1$ in Erd\H{o}s 973 can exist. The proof combines a truncated exponential factorization with overconvergence on an open set outside the unit disk and a normal-family obstruction for Cauchy transforms.