5

Background

(You can skip this part, but maybe you find it interesting.)

Is $ \displaystyle f_1(x,v) = \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} \frac{x^n}{(n!)^v } > 0 $ for all real $x$ and $0<v<1$ ?

Lets start simple and take the case $v = \frac{1}{2}$ and notice the inverse ratio of Taylor coefficients is $(a_{n+1}/a_n)^{-1} = \sqrt n$. Probably the simplest way to prove positivity is now to write

$$ \int_{0}^{1} (1-t^n)\left(\log\frac{1}{t}\right)^{-3/2} \, \frac{dt}{t} = c\sqrt{n}$$

with some fixed positive $c$. Notice that the integral converges and the integrand is positive, and make the change of variable $t^n\to t$. We conclude,by the additive property and the identity $x^m t^m = (xt)^m$, that

$$ \int_{0}^{1} (f(x)-f(xt))\left(\log \frac{1}{t} \right)^{-3/2} \, \frac{dt}{t} = cxf(x). $$

If $x$ is the largest zero of $f$ (which must be negative), then by plugging it in, we get $0$ on the right and a negative number on the left, which is a clear contradiction. Thus, crossing the $x$-axis is not possible.

Of course, there is nothing special about $v = \frac{1}{2}$. Any power $v$ between $0$ and $1$ works just as well because the analogue integral still converges. For instance,

\begin{gather*} \int_{0}^{1}(1-t^n)\left(\log \frac{1}{t}\right)^{-5/4} \, \frac{dt}{t} = 4 \Gamma(3/4) n^{1/4} \qquad\text{and} \\ \int_{0}^{1} (f(x)-f(xt)) \left(\log \frac{1}{t}\right)^{-5/4} \, \frac{dt}{t} = cxf(x). \end{gather*}

This method cries out for a generalization and a deeper understanding.

Notice also that the limit of $f(x,v)$ as $x \to -\infty$ is zero and the function is strictly increasing. Also, partially because of that, the function is estimated (and proven) to go to zero at rate $O(n^{-v})$ (not so easy to prove?) and to $+\infty$ at rate $O(\exp(x^{1/v}))$.


So this is where the idea came from. There are other ways to prove positivity, but I really like this one. (A conjecture is that all similar questions with confirmation of positivity need to be reduced or be reducible to the above, or be a sequence of compositions that themselves are.)

So, we focus on the integral transform $M(t(n)) = m(t)$ for a given $t(n)$, such that

\begin{equation} \int_{0}^{1} (1-t^n) m(t) \, dt = t(n) \label{int_tf}\tag{*} \end{equation}

is valid for integer $n>0$ with $m(t)$ being positive for $0<t<1$.

However, it seems

$$ \lim_{x \to -\infty} \sum_{n=1}^{+\infty} \frac{x^n}{(n+1)^n} = -1 $$

AND even

$$ 1 + \sum_{n=1}^{+\infty} \frac{x^n}{(n+1)^n} > 0 $$

This made me wonder about the integral transform...


EDIT 1

After some testing it seems more like

$$ \lim_{x \to -\infty} \sum_{n=1}^{+\infty} \frac{x^n}{(n+1)^n} = -1$$

AND

$$0 \leq C + \sum_{n=1}^{+\infty} \frac{x^n}{(n+1)^n} $$

Where $C = 1.036055393...$ is the best possible constant.

This seems to suggest that the integral transform does not exist since the function does not start from the empty product or equivalently

$$1 + \sum_{n=1}^{+\infty} \frac{x^n}{(n+1)^n} > 0$$

Is false. But there has to be a better more direct way to show it right?


Question

Consider the integral transform $M(t(n)) = m(t)$ as in \eqref{int_tf}. I wonder if there is a solution of

$$ M((n+1)^n) = m(t),$$

and if so, what it is? So, we want to find strict positive $m(t)$ such that

$$\int_{0}^{1} (1-t^n) m(t) \, dt= \frac{(n+1)^n}{n^{n-1}}$$

valid for integer $n>0$.

It seems like a reasonable question. And it seems closely related to Laplace and similar transforms or the Bernstein theorem. Yet I'm not sure how to do that.

I think I can restate the problem with Lambert-W functions or so, but then again I doubt that would help much.

(Notice $n$-th derivatives of Lambert-W are $\frac{(-n)^n}{n!}$ and you already see the similarity.)

Any ideas?


EDIT 2 (A similar conjecture)

Not essential but beyond a comment perhaps.

How to prove that for all real $x$ we have:

$$ 0 \leq f(x) = A + \sum_{n=1}^{+\infty} \frac{x^n}{(n+1)^{\frac{n}{2}}} $$

Where $A = 1$ is the best possible constant.

Somewhat related or similar: Conjecture about $ f(x,v) = 1 + \sum_{n=1}^\infty {x^n \over t(v n) } > 0 $ for all real $x$

Sangchul Lee
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mick
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  • Not sure if this helps, but the derivative of $(x+1)^x$ is $(x+1)^x(\ln(x+1) + \frac{x}{x+1})$. – Sergio Escobar Nov 04 '23 at 05:41
  • May $m(t)$ depend on $n$ ? – Abezhiko Nov 04 '23 at 09:51
  • You should look at Mellin transform, since you are basically trying to determine the inverse Mellin transform of $n^n$. But I am not sure there exists a closed form in that case. – Abezhiko Nov 04 '23 at 09:52
  • @Abezhiko it is not exactly the Mellin transform nor its inverse. Very similar though yes. – mick Nov 05 '23 at 23:13
  • @Abezhiko No $m(t)$ may not depend on $n$ – mick Nov 05 '23 at 23:13
  • see also : https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/4801306/c-sum-n-1-infty-fracxnn1n-0-where-c-1-036055393-is – mick Nov 05 '23 at 23:22
  • I forgot about the telescoping part hence the edit to the correct function ; $\frac{(n+1)^n}{n^{n-1}}$ – mick Nov 07 '23 at 11:40
  • It looks a decent observation, but what is your question exactly? There are so many questions raised, and it is not clear as to what is your main question here. Since answering all of them at once will be daunting, it would be nice if you can highlight the most prominent question and then leave the rest as side questions or open a separate post. – Sangchul Lee Nov 08 '23 at 08:56
  • @SangchulLee the main question is how to do the inverse integral transform, in particular the one in the title. The zero's of functions are a way and a motivation but there must be a better way I assume. – mick Nov 10 '23 at 11:45

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