Limit theorems for the number of summands in integer partitions (Q5952335)

Let \(\Lambda = (\lambda_1,\lambda_2,\dots)\) be a sequence of increasing positive integers \(1\leq \lambda_1\leq \lambda_2 \leq \cdots\) tending to infinity and \(\Pi_\Lambda(n)\) the set of partitions of the positive integer \(n\) into distinct parts \(\lambda_j\) (each \(\lambda_j\) occurring at most once). Then the generating function of the numbers \(q(n) = |\Pi_\Lambda(n)|\) is given by \[ Q(z) = 1 + \sum_{n\geq 1} q(n) z^n = \prod_{j\geq 1} (1+z^{\lambda_j}). \] Furthermore, if \(\overline \omega_n\) denotes the random variable that counts the number of summands in a random partition of \(n\) (assuming a uniform probability measure on \(\Pi_\Lambda(n)\)), then the generating function of \(q(n) E(u^{\overline \omega_n})\) is given by \[ Q(z,u) = 1 + \sum_{n\geq 1} q(n)E(u^{\overline \omega_n}) z^n = \prod_{j\geq 1} (1+uz^{\lambda_j}). \] The purpose of this paper it to show that under suitable conditions on the Dirichlet series \(D(s) = \sum_{j\geq 1} \lambda_j^{-s}\) [that are more general than those due to \textit{G. Meinardus}, Math. Z. 59, 388--398 (1954; Zbl 0055.03806)] one obtains global and local central limit theorems for \(\overline \omega_n\). In particular, the local limit theorem was unknown in this generality. The presented theorems apply, for example, for \(\lambda_j = [j^\beta]\) (where \(\beta > 1\)) or for \(\lambda_j = h + dj\) (where \(h\) and \(d\) are coprime). The methods used in the proofs are Mellin transforms and double saddle point techniques (applied to \(Q(z,u)\)).