On asymptotic expansions of generalized Stieltjes functions (Q2339694)

The authors consider the generalized Stieltjes transform of order \(\lambda\) of positive measures on the positive real axis having moments of all orders. The main results derived in the paper are the following ones. 1. Consider the complex function \(f(z)\) obtained as the generalized Stieltjes transform of order \(\lambda>0\) of a positive measure on the positive real line and defined on the whole complex plane, except the positive real axis. Then the remainder of the Poincaré asymptotic expansion in inverse powers of \(z\) of the function \(z^{\lambda-1}f(z)\) may be written, in the open right half plane, as the Laplace transform of a certain non-negative function on the positive real axis. Error bounds for this remainder are also given in two sectors that cover the whole complex plane. 2. Consider a real function \(f(x)\) defined on the positive real axis such that, for a certain \(\lambda>0\), the function \(x^{\lambda-1}f(x)\) has a Poincaré asymptotic expansion in inverse powers of \(x\) and the remainder of this expansion may be written as the Laplace transform of a certain non-negative function on the positive real axis. Then, the function \(f(x)\) is the generalized Stieltjes transform of order \(\lambda\) of a certain positive measure on the positive real line. 3. A relation is stated between the generalized Stieltjes transform of order \(\lambda\in(0,1]\) of a certain positive measure and the standard Stieltjes transform of another positive measure, both having finite moments of any order. Using this relation, the authors show that the remainder \(R_n(x)\), \(x>0\), in the asymptotic expansion of the generalized Stieltjes transform of order \(\lambda\in(0,1]\) of a positive measure is a completely monotonic function of order \(n\). Similarly, the remainder \(R_n(x)\), \(x>0\), in the asymptotic expansion of the generalized Stieltjes transform of order \(\lambda>1\) of a positive measure is a completely monotonic function of order \(n-\lambda+1\). 4. Using the previous results, the authors derive an analogue of Hamburger's and Nevanlinna's theorem on the positive real line and characterize those completely monotonic functions that have an analytic extension at the origin.