An asymptotic formula for the moments of the Minkowski question mark function in the interval \([0,1]\) (Q736124)

The Minkowski question mark function is defined for \(x\in[0,1]\) by the expression \[ ?([a_0,a_1,a_2,\ldots)=2(1-2^{-a_0}+2^{-(a_0+a_1)}-2^{-(a_0+a_1+a_2)}+\cdots), \] where \(x=[a_0,a_1,a_2,\ldots]\) is the continued fraction expansion of \(x\). It has been proved that this function is continuous, monotonic and singular. The author of the present paper investigates the \(L\)th moment \(m_L\) of the Minkowski question mark function defined by \[ m_L=\int_0^1 x^L\,d?(x). \] This can be rewritten as \[ m_L=\lim_{n\to\infty}2^{2-n}\sum_{a_1+a_2+\cdots+a_s=n}[0,a_1,a_2,\ldots,a_s]^L, \] where the summation is taken over rational numbers represented as continued fractions, \textit{i.e.}, \(s\geq1\), \(a_i\geq1\) and \(a_s\geq2\). By rewriting the integral and applying the Laplace method the author is able to provide the following asymptotic formula as \(L\to\infty\): \[ m_L=c_0\cdot L^{\frac14}C^{\sqrt L}+\mathcal{O}\left(L^{-\frac14} C^{\sqrt L}\right), \] where \(C\) and \(c_0\) are absolute constants, which can be explicitly calculated.