Reliable computation of a multiple integral involved in the neutron star theory (Q2489555)

The authors discuss the computation of a special improper multiple (three-dimensional) integral depending on two parameters. This integral involved in the theory of neutron stars from astrophysics has been considered first by \textit{L. Villain} and \textit{P. Haensel} [Astron. Astrophys. 444, 539--548 (2005)]. The integral arises in many other fields: physics, study of piezo-ceramic materials, etc. In the computation of this three-dimensional integral, appear two one-dimensional integrals with infinite bounds and these have to be approximated by integrals on a finite domain. The Gauss-Legendre quadrature is applied with a dynamical control strategy which enables to determine in the results obtained which digits are in common with the exact value of the integrals. To estimate the number of exact significant digits of many computed results, the CESTAC (control and stochastique estimation of round-off errors) method is used. The dynamical control of sequences computation is based on several theorems proved by the authors. These theorems enable to determine from two successive iterates, the first significant digits of the exact limit. Numerical results show that the greater part of approximations over 5752 points, have 6 or 7 exact significant digits.