Complete monotonicity and limit of a generalized Euler sequence (Q457009)

Definition 1. A function \(f\in C^\infty(0, \infty)\) is said to be completely monotonic if \((-1)^nf^{(n)}(x)\geq0\) for every \(x\in(0,\infty)\) and every \(n\in\mathbb{N}_0\). Definition 2. A sequence of real numbers \((x_n)_{n\geq0}\) is called completely monotonic if \((-1)^k\Delta^k x_n\geq0\) for all \(k, n\in\mathbb{N}_0.\) By \(\Delta^k\) the authors denote the usual difference operator of order \(k\) defined by \[ \Delta^0 x_n=x_n,\quad \Delta^1 x_n=x_{n+1}-x_n,\quad \Delta^k=\Delta(\Delta^{k-1}), \quad k\geq2. \] The goal of this paper is to study the complete monotonicity of a generalized Euler sequence \((a_n)_{n\geq1}\) given by \[ a_n=f(1)+f(2)+\dots+f(n)-\int_1^n f(t)\, dt,\tag{1} \] where \(f:(0, \infty)\to \mathbb{R}\) is a function satisfying certain conditions, and to obtain an explicit formula for the limit of \((a_n)_{n\geq1}\). For \(f(x)=\frac{1}{x}\), the authors obtain the classical Euler sequence \[ (c_n)_{n\geq1}, \quad c_n=1+\frac{1}{2}+\dots+\frac{1}{n}-\log n, \] convergent to the Euler constant \(\gamma\). The idea to generalize the sequence \((c_n)_{n\geq1}\) to \((a_n)_{n\geq1}\) was introduced by Euler; the sequence \((a_n)_{n\geq1}\) is convergent if \(f\) is decreasing and positive. The main result concerning the complete monotonicity of the generalized Euler sequence \((a_n)_{n\geq1}\) is contained in the next theorem. Theorem: Suppose that \(f\in C^\infty(0, \infty)\) is a completely monotonic function. Then the sequence \((a_n)_{n\geq1}\) given by (1) is completely monotonic. Then, some examples of completely monotonic sequences \((a_n)_{n\geq1}\), obtained for particular choices of \(f\), are given by the authors.