Supremum, infimum and hyperlimits in the non-Archimedean ring of Colombeau generalized numbers (Q2049541)

The Colombeau-Robinson ring \(\tilde {\mathbb R}\) of generalized functions is the natural set of values of elements of algebras of generalized functions. As such, there is a strong interest in developing tools of analysis for \(\tilde {\mathbb R}\) (and more generally in the ring \({}^\rho\tilde {\mathbb R}\) for general gauges \(\rho\)), like convergence criteria for sequences and series, analyticity, integration theory and others. A fundamental obstacle lies in the fact that \({}^\rho\tilde {\mathbb R}\) is not a field (it possesses zero-divisors) and contains both infinitesimal and infinite elements, so a non-Archimedean approach is required. In this paper, the authors introduce hypernatural numbers as equivalence classes of classical natural numbers and as a suitable substitute of the latter in matters of convergence. They then develop a theory of supremum and infimum, as well as \(\limsup\) and \(\liminf\) in \({}^\rho\tilde {\mathbb R}\), and study so-called hyperlimits of hyperseries. A main innovation here is the use of two gauges in the basic convergence definition. The fundamentals of analysis based on these notions are developed and a number of distinguishing examples are given.