Asymptotische Entwicklungen der Gaußschen hypergeometrischen Funktion für unbeschränkte Parameter. (Asymptotic expansions of the Gauss hypergeometric function for unbounded parameters) (Q809237)

Asymptotic expansions of the Gauss hypergeometric function \({}_ 2F_ 1(a,b;c;z)\) are derived for large absolute values of the complex parameters a,b,c (c\(\neq 0,-1,-2,...)\) and for fixed values of the complex variable z \((| \arg (1-z)| <\pi)\). Assuming \(a^ 2=o(c)\), \(b^ 2=o(c)\) and that Re\(\{\) \(a\}\) and Re\(\{\) \(b\}\) are bounded below or two- sided bounded it is shown that the \({\mathbb{C}}\)-plane can be divided in two sectors dependent on the value of z so that \[ (i)\quad F(a,b;c;z)\approx \sum^{\infty}_{\nu =0}\frac{(a)_{\nu}(b)_{\nu}}{(c)_{\nu}}\frac{z^{\nu}}{\nu !}, \] in the sector including the positive real axis \(((a)_{\nu}\) Pochhammer symbol) and F(a,b;c;z)\(\approx\) \[ (ii)\quad \approx \frac{\pi \Gamma (a+b-c)z^{1-c}(1-z)^{c-b- a}}{\sin (\pi c)\Gamma (1-c)\Gamma (a)\Gamma (b)}\sum^{\infty}_{\nu =0}\frac{(1-a)_{\nu}(1-b)_{\nu}(1-z)^{\nu}}{(c-b-a+1)_{\nu}\nu !} \] in the remaining sector. In particular, it follows that (i) is not valid for all z with \(| z| <1\), when the complex parameter c tends arbitrary to infinity. This refutes an assertion in the well-known book ``Higher transcendental functions'', Vol. 1 by \textit{A. Erdélyi} et. al. (1951; Zbl 0051.303).