Hypergeometric functions and hyperbolic metric (Q2378582)

The authors give several inequalities for hypergeometric functions with restricted parameters. By using these inequalities, estimates are deduced for the hyperbolic metric and hyperbolic distance of the twice-punctured plane \(\mathbb C \backslash \{0,1\}\). In [\textit{T. Sugawa} and \textit{M. Vuorinen}, Math. Z. 250, No. 4, 885-906 (2005; Zbl 1081.30040)], the function \[ h(t) =\pi\left[8\mathcal K\left(\frac{1}{\sqrt{1+e^t}}\right)\mathcal K\left(\frac{1}{\sqrt{1+e^{-t}}}\right)\right]^{-1},\quad t\in\mathbb R, \] plays a special role in the estimates of the hyperbolic metric of a general plane hyperbolic domain. Here \(\mathcal K(r)=\int_0^1\frac{dt}{\sqrt{(1-t^2)(1-r^2t^2)}}\) is the complete elliptic integral of first kind. The authors prove some of the conjectures proposed by Sugawa and Vuorinen: (i) The function \(th(t)\) is strictly increasing from \((0,\infty)\) onto \((0,1/2)\). (ii) The even function \(H(t) = 1/h(t)\) satisfies the condition \(H''(t) > 0\) and is a strictly convex self-homeomorphism of \(\mathbb R\). (iii) The odd function \(H'(t)\) maps \(\mathbb R\) homeomorphically onto the interval \((-2, 2)\). (iv) \(2(|t| + C_0)h(t) < 1.25\) for \(t\in\mathbb R\). (v) \(1/(|t| + C_0) < 2h(t) < 1/(|t| + \log 16)\) for \(t\in \mathbb R\). Here \(C_0=\frac{4}{\pi}\mathcal K(1/\sqrt{2})^2=\frac{\Gamma(1/4)^4}{4\pi^3}\approx4.37688.\)