A monotonicity result for discrete fractional difference operators (Q2447693)

The authors establish a monotonicity property of the discrete fractional difference operator \[ \Delta_a^\nu y(t):=\Delta^N \bigg[\frac{1}{\Gamma(N-\nu)}\!\sum_{s=a}^{t+\nu-N}\!(t-s-1)^{\underline{N-\nu-1}}\,\,y(s)\bigg], \] where \(t\in\mathbb{N}_{a+N-\nu}:=\{a+N-\nu,a+N-\nu+1,\dots\}\), \(N-1<\nu\leq N\), and \(t^{\underline{\nu}}:=\frac{\Gamma(t+1)}{\Gamma(t+1-\nu)}\). If \(y:\mathbb{N}_0\to\mathbb{R}\) is a nonnegative function such that \(\Delta_0^\nu y(t)\geq0\) for all \(t\in\mathbb{N}_{2-\nu}\), where \(\nu\in(1,2)\) is fixed, then \(y\) is increasing on \(\mathbb{N}_0\) (see Corollary 2.3). The dual result is also presented (see Theorem 2.4). Finally, several consequences of these results for solutions of some boundary value and initial value problems associated with \(\Delta_a^\nu y(t)\) are discussed.