An expansion for the number of partitions of an integer (Q2174293)

The authors derive an asymptotic expansion for the partition function \(p(n)\) based on the analysis of a family of random variables associated with the generating function of \(p(n)\), building on earlier work of \textit{L. Báez-Duarte} [Adv. Math. 125, No. 1, 114--120 (1997; Zbl 0873.60010)]. Specifically, let \[ f(t) = \sum_{n \geq 0} p(n) t^n = \prod_{j \geq 1} \frac{1}{1-t^j}, \] and define the random variable \(X(t)\) for \(0 < t < 1\) by \(\mathbb{P}(X(t) = n) = \frac{p(n)t^n}{f(t)}\). This random variable can be expressed as a sum of independent random variables in a natural way, and a central limit theorem holds as \(t \to 1\). Let \(\kappa_1(t)\) and \(\kappa_2(t)\) be the mean and variance of \(X(t)\) respectively, and let \(t_n\) be the unique real value for which \(\kappa_1(t_n) = n\). Defining further \[ r_n = \sqrt{\frac{2\pi^2}{3} \Big( n - \frac{1}{24} \Big) + \frac14} \] and \(c_n^2 = \kappa_2(t_n) |\log t_n|^2\), the following asymptotic formula holds: \[ p(n) = \frac{e^{r_n}|\log t_n|^{3/2}}{\sqrt{2} \pi \sqrt{1+2c_n^2}} \Big( 1 - \sum_{\ell=1}^N \frac{D_{\ell}}{(1+2c_n^2)^{\ell}} + \tilde{R}_{N+1} \Big) \] where the coefficients \(D_{\ell}\) are given by explicit formulas and \(\tilde{R}_{N+1} = o(n^{-N/2})\) as \(n \to \infty\) for every \(N\). Combining this expansion with asymptotic approximations for \(c_n\) and \(t_n\), one obtains the simplified version \[ p(n) = \frac{2\pi^2}{3\sqrt{3}} \frac{e^{r_n}}{(1+2r_n)^2} \Big( 1 - \sum_{\ell=1}^N \frac{D_{\ell}}{(1+2r_n)^{\ell}} + R_{N+1} \Big) \] with the same coefficients \(D_{\ell}\) as before, and \(R_{N+1} = o(n^{-N/2})\) as \(n \to \infty\) for every \(N\).