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I have the following confluent Hypergeometric function : $$ M(A,n+1,nx^2) $$ Here $0\leq x \leq 1 $. $n$ is an integer and I wish to calculate the asymptotic behavior as $n\rightarrow \infty$. Also $A \sim O(1)$ does not scale with $n$. I wish to see it's dependence in the asymptotics so we don't set it to $1$. I wish to do this

  1. At least close to the domain boundary $x\sim0$ and $x\sim1$.

  2. For the entire domain $[0,1]$ to see if there is a simplification that happens and the resulting function in the limit $n\rightarrow\infty$ takes a simpler form than $M(a,b,z)$.

I have tried to look at the NIST digital library for appropriate asymptotic behavior, but I could not find an expansion for large $b,z$.

Any help in understanding the correct asymptotic behavior would be greatly appreciated !

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2 Answers 2

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A uniform asymptotic expansion can be obtained using the result linked in the comments. However, I will now derive simpler asymptotic approximations. I will set $A = a$, $x^2 = x$, and assume $a > 0$ and $0 < x \leq 1$. Substituting $u = 1 - \mathrm{e}^{-t}$ into the integral formula provided in Svyatoslav's answer gives $$ M(a, n + 1, nx) = \frac{\Gamma(n+1)}{\Gamma(n+1-a)} \frac{1}{\Gamma(a)} \int_0^{+\infty} (\mathrm{e}^t - 1)^{a-1} \mathrm{e}^{-n(t - x(1 - \mathrm{e}^{-t}))} \, \mathrm{d}t. $$

Case 1. For $0 \le x < 1$ and $(1 - x)^2 n \to +\infty$, Laplace's method yields the asymptotic expansion: $$ \frac{1}{\Gamma(a)} \int_0^{+\infty} (\mathrm{e}^t - 1)^{a-1} \mathrm{e}^{-n(t - x(1 - \mathrm{e}^{-t}))} \, \mathrm{d}t \sim \frac{1}{(1 - x)^a} \frac{1}{n^a} \sum_{k=0}^\infty \frac{c_k(x;a)}{n^k} $$ as $n \to +\infty$, where the coefficients $c_k(x;a)$ are given by $$ c_k(x;a) = \frac{1}{(1 - x)^k} \frac{(a)_k}{k!} \left[ \frac{\mathrm{d}^k}{\mathrm{d}t^k} \left( \left( \frac{\mathrm{e}^t - 1}{t} \right)^{a-1} \left( \frac{(1 - x)t}{t - x(1 - \mathrm{e}^{-t})} \right)^{a+k} \right) \right]_{t=0}. $$ In particular, $$ c_0(x;a) = 1, \quad c_1(x;a) = - \frac{a(2ax - a + 1)}{2(1 - x)^2}. $$ Using the known asymptotic expansion for the ratio of two gamma functions, we find $$ \frac{\Gamma(n+1)}{\Gamma(n+1-a)} \sim n^a \sum_{k=0}^\infty \binom{a-1}{k} B_k^{(a)} \frac{1}{n^k} $$ as $n \to +\infty$, where $B_k^{(a)}$ are the generalised Bernoulli numbers. Multiplying these asymptotic expansions gives $$ \tag{1} M(a, n+1, nx) \sim \frac{1}{(1-x)^a} \sum_{k=0}^\infty \frac{d_k(x;a)}{n^k} $$ as $n \to +\infty$, where $$ d_k(x;a) = \sum_{j=0}^k \binom{a-1}{j} B_j^{(a)} c_{k-j}(x;a). $$ In particular, $$ d_0(x;a) = 1, \quad d_1(x;a) = -\frac{ax((a-1)x + 2)}{2(1 - x)^2}. $$ The coefficients $d_k(x;a)$ have poles of order $2k$ at $x = 1$, which implies that we require $(1-x)^2 n \to +\infty$.

Case 2. For $x \approx 1$, we examine $M(a, n + 1, n + \tau n^{1/2})$: \begin{align*} M(a,n + 1,n + \tau n^{1/2} ) =\; &\frac{{\Gamma (n + 1)}}{{\Gamma (n + 1 - a)}}\frac{1}{{\Gamma (a)}} \\ &\times \int_0^{ + \infty } {({\rm e}^t - 1)^{a - 1} \exp ( - n({\rm e}^{ - t}+t - 1) + n^{1/2} \tau (1 - {\rm e}^{ - t} ))\,{\rm d}t}. \end{align*} Here, $\tau$ is a fixed real number. Proceeding similarly to $\S4.1$ of this paper, an extension of Laplace's method yields \begin{align*} \tag{2} M(a,n + 1,n + \tau n^{1/2} ) \sim \; & n^{a/2}\exp \left( {\frac{{\tau ^2 }}{4}} \right) U\!\left( {a - \frac{1}{2}, - \tau } \right)\sum\limits_{k = 0}^\infty {\frac{{P_k (\tau ;a)}}{{n^{k/2} }}} \\ & + n^{(a - 1)/2} \exp \left( {\frac{{\tau ^2 }}{4}} \right)U\!\left( {a + \frac{1}{2}, - \tau } \right)\sum\limits_{k = 0}^\infty {\frac{{Q_k (\tau ;a)}}{{n^{k/2} }}} \end{align*} as $n \to +\infty$. Here, the $U$ denotes the parabolic cylinder function. The coefficients $P_k(\tau; a)$ and $Q_k(\tau; a)$ are polynomials in $\tau$ and $a$, with $P_0(\tau; a)=1$. By inspection, they are both $\mathcal{O}(\tau^{3k+2})$ for large $\tau$, which allows us to assume $\tau = o(n^{1/6})$. With this assumption, the two cases together cover $0 \le x \leq 1$.

Update. The leading order of the asymptotics in $(2)$ can be re-expressed as $$\tag{3} M(a, n + 1, nx) \sim n^{a/2} \exp\left( \frac{{(1 - x)^2}}{4}n \right) U\!\left( a - \frac{1}{2}, n^{1/2} (1 - x) \right) $$ as $n \to +\infty$, provided $x = 1 + o(n^{-1/3})$. However, when $x = 1 + \mathcal{O}(n^{-1/2 + \varepsilon})$, the right-hand side asymptotically behaves like $(1 - x)^{-a}$, aligning with $(1)$. Therefore, $(3)$ holds for $0 \leq x \leq 1$.

A numerical example with $a = 2$, $n = 10^4$, and $0 \leq x \leq 1$ is shown in the figure below. The red curve represents the exact values, while the dashed blue curve corresponds to the approximation in $(3)$.

enter image description here

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  • $\begingroup$ Thanks for the answer ! I'm still reading it but I have four questions. 1) In your answer where precisely did you use the fact that $a>0$ ? 2) If $ 0 \leq x<1$ and $n\rightarrow\infty$, isn't $(1-x)^2 n \rightarrow \infty$ true by definition ? 3) A notation question : Does $\square (n^{-1/2+\epsilon})$ mean Big O ? and 4) How did you figure out the various scalings for $x$ and $\tau$ ; for instance in the update $x\sim 1 + o(n^{-1/3})$ and close to equation (2), $\tau \sim o(n^{1/6})$ ? Apologies if these are basic questions. Appreciate the help ! $\endgroup$ Commented Sep 5 at 19:00
  • $\begingroup$ 1) The integral representation we started with is valid only if $\operatorname{Re}(a) > 0 $. However, this condition can be removed by following an argument similar to that given at the end of section 4.1 of the cited paper. 2) This holds only if $ x $ is fixed. If $ x $ scales with $ n $, for example, $ x = 1 - 1/n <1$, then it does not hold. 3) I use a calligraphic $O$ to denote big-$O$. It appears your device is mistakenly rendering it as a square. $\endgroup$
    – Gary
    Commented Sep 6 at 1:35
  • $\begingroup$ 4) For large $ \tau $, the $k$th terms behave like $ O(\tau^{3k + 2} / n^{k/2}) = \tau^2 O\left( (\tau / n^{1/6})^{3k} \right)$. To ensure the asymptotic behaviour, we must impose $ \tau = o(n^{1/6}) $ as $ n \to +\infty $. Now, note that $ \tau = o(n^{1/6}) $ is equivalent to $ x = 1 + o(n^{-1/3})$. $\endgroup$
    – Gary
    Commented Sep 6 at 1:35
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Too long for a comment

The general answer can be found in the link posted by @Gary; in some cases the asymptotic can be simplified. Using the integral representation of confluent hypergeometric function $$M(a, n+1, nx^2)=\frac{\Gamma(n+1)}{\Gamma(a)\Gamma(n+1-a)}\int_0^1u^{a-1}(1-u)^{-a}e^{n\big(x^2u+\ln(1-u)\big)}du$$ The Laplace methodis the convenient tool to find the asymptotic at $n\to\infty$. Let's consider some particular cases.

$\displaystyle 1.\,\,a>0,\, x^2\in[0;1), \,n(1-x^2)\gg1$ $$M(a, n+1, nx^2)\sim\frac{n^a}{\Gamma(a)}\int_0^1u^{a-1}e^{-nu(1-x^2)}du\sim\frac1{(1-x^2)^a}$$

$\displaystyle 2.\,\,a>0,\, x^2=1$ $$M(a, n+1, n)\sim\frac{n^a}{\Gamma(a)}\int_0^1u^{a-1}e^{-\frac{nu^2}2}du\sim\frac{\Gamma\big(\frac a2\big)}{2\Gamma(a)}(2n)^\frac a2$$

$\displaystyle 3.\,\,a>0,\, x^2>1$ $$M(a, n+1, n)\sim\frac{n^a}{\Gamma(a)}\int_0^1u^{a-1}(1-u)^{-a}e^{n\big(x^2u+\ln(1-u)\big)}du$$ $$=\frac{n^a}{\Gamma(a)}\int_0^1u^{a-1}(1-u)^{-a}e^{nf(u)}du$$ Applying again the Laplace' method, $$f(u)=x^2u+\ln(1-u);\,f'(u_0)=x^2-\frac1{1-u_0}=0\,\,\text{at}\,\,u_0=\frac{x^2-1}{x^2}\in[0;1]$$ $$f''(u_0)=-x^4$$ $$M(a, n+1, n)\sim\frac{n^a}{\Gamma(a)}\left(\frac{x^2-1}{x^2}\right)^{a-1}(x^2)^{a-n}e^{n(x^2-1)}\int_0^1e^{-nx^4\frac{(u-u_0)^2}2}du$$ $$\sim\sqrt{\frac{2\pi}n}\frac{n^a}{\Gamma(a)}e^{n(x^2-1)}\frac{(x^2-1)^{a-1}}{x^{2n}}$$

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  • $\begingroup$ this is precisely what I wished to do over the entire domain. My case of interest is $0<x<1$. In this regime of $x$, I don't think I can use Laplace's method, since the critical point is not inside the requisite domain . Maybe I'm doing this wrong. But consider the exponent $n(x^2 u + \log{(1-u)})$. The critical point is $u_0 = 1-1/x^2$ and $u_0 \notin (0,1)$ for $x\in(0,1)$. So I cannot successfully use the Laplace method. Am I wrong ? $\endgroup$ Commented Sep 3 at 18:43
  • $\begingroup$ I'll try and use the general expression in the link @Gary posted. I wish to convert the confluent Hypergeometric or the parabolic cylinder functions (which appear in the general expression from the link) into something more tractable in the $n\rightarrow \infty$ limit. Either at the edges of the domain or if possible over the entire domain. $\endgroup$ Commented Sep 3 at 18:49
  • $\begingroup$ You are write. In the case $x^2\in[0;1)$ you will can use the Watson' lemma - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watson%27s_lemma - denoting $t=x^2u+\ln(1-u)$ as a new variable and making the transformations of the integrand accordingly $\endgroup$
    – Svyatoslav
    Commented Sep 4 at 2:10
  • $\begingroup$ @Fragglerock In general, the critical point does not need to lie within the interval. See dlmf.nist.gov/2.3.iii $\endgroup$
    – Gary
    Commented Sep 5 at 0:37
  • $\begingroup$ Thanks @Gary ! I'll take a look. $\endgroup$ Commented Sep 5 at 19:00

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