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Here the derivatives of the incomplete gamma functions are described via: $$ T(m,s,x) = G_{m-1,\,m}^{\,m,\,0} \!\left( \left. \begin{matrix} 0, 0, \dots, 0 \\ s-1, -1, \dots, -1 \end{matrix} \; \right| \, x \right) $$

I am interested in $T(4,1,x)$ for $x$ large in terms of how it scales with $x$. For example $xT(3,1,x) = E_1(x)$, is there a similar simplification for $T(4,1,x)$? There exists an expansion for $|x|<1$ and in Geddes et al paper it is mentioned that an analytic continuation of the series expansion is possible when proving that $T$ satisfied a differential equation. Yet even from the expansion, that does involve a Meijer-G function in turn, I can not tell how $T$ scales with $x$.

Reference

K. O. Geddes, M. L. Glasser, R. A. Moore, T. C. Scott, "Evaluation of classes of definite integrals involving elementary functions via differentiation of special functions", Applicable Algebra in Engineering, Communication and Computing, 1, No. 2, 149-165 (1990), DOI:10.1007/BF01810298, MR1325519, Zbl 0726.33015.

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$\newcommand{\Ga}{\Gamma} $We have \begin{equation*} T(4,1,x)\sim t(x):=e^{-x}/x^3 \tag{1}\label{1} \end{equation*} as $x\to\infty$.

Indeed, from formulas (29) and (30) of the linked paper we get $$T(4,1,x)=\frac{g_2(x)-2 g_1(x) \ln x+e^{-x} \ln^2 x}{2 x},$$ where $$g_k(x):=\int_x^\infty\ln^k u\,e^{-u}\,du.$$ Using now repeatedly integration by parts to obtain enough terms of the asymptotics of $g_1(x)$ and $g_2(x)$, we get \eqref{1} -- see details on this at the end of this answer.


Here is the graph $\{(x,\frac{T(4,1,x)}{t(x)})\colon20\le x\le200\}$:

enter image description here


Details: Let $l$ denote a function of the form $\ln^p$ for some real $p$ or any of its derivatives, of any order. Integrating by parts, for all real $x>1$ we have \begin{equation*} g(x):=\int_x^\infty l(u) e^{-u}\,du=l(x)e^{-x}+\int_x^\infty l'(u) e^{-u}\,du \end{equation*} and hence, by induction, for any natural $k$, \begin{equation*} \begin{aligned} g(x)&=(l(x)+l'(x)+\cdots+l^{(k-1)}(x))e^{-x}+\int_x^\infty l^{(k)}(u) e^{-u}\,du \\ &=(l(x)+l'(x)+\cdots+l^{(k-1)}(x)+l^{(k)}(x)(1+o(1)))e^{-x} \end{aligned} \tag{2}\label{2} \end{equation*} (as $x\to\infty$). The latter equality in \eqref{2} follows by the l'Hospital rule, because $(\ln^p)^{(k)}(x)\asymp x^{-k}\ln^{p-1}x$ and hence $r(x):=l^{(k+1)}(x)/l^{(k)}(x)\to0$. $\Big($Indeed, \begin{equation*} \frac{\Big(\int_x^\infty l^{(k)}(u) e^{-u}\,du\Big)'_x} {\big(l^{(k)}(x) e^{-x}\big)'_x}\ =\frac1{1-r(x)}\to1, \end{equation*} where ${}'_x$ denotes the differentiation in $x$.$\Big)$

So, by \eqref{2} with $k=3$ and $g\in\{g_1,g_2\}$, \begin{equation*} e^x g_1(x)=\ln x+\frac{1}{x}-\frac{1}{x^2}+\frac{2+o(1)}{x^3}, \end{equation*} \begin{equation*} e^x g_2(x)=\ln^2 x+\frac{2 \ln x}{x}-\frac{2 \ln x}{x^2}+\frac{2}{x^2} +\frac{(4+o(1)) \ln x}{x^3}, \end{equation*} \begin{equation*} e^x T(4,1,x)=\frac{x+o(\ln x)}{x^4}\sim 1/x^3. \quad\Box \end{equation*}

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  • $\begingroup$ I would be very happy about the details, because my initial goal is to understand $g_2(x)$ and I've hoped that this could be achieved via $T(4,1,x)$. $\endgroup$ Commented Oct 24, 2023 at 16:34
  • $\begingroup$ I have now added the details. $\endgroup$ Commented Oct 24, 2023 at 20:39
  • $\begingroup$ Thanks @Iosif! I followed your derivation, yet I wonder how it works out that you truncate the integral up to $\mathcal{o}(1)$ while the full asymptotic expansion of the integral diverges (see math.stackexchange.com/questions/4789344/…). $\endgroup$ Commented Oct 25, 2023 at 15:03
  • $\begingroup$ @user18722294 : I never used or mentioned a full asymptotic expansion. As stated in the answer, I just used the partial expansion (2), with $k=3$ and $g\in\{g_1,g_2\}$. Details of the straightforward calculations are presented in the pdf image of a Mathematica notebook at u.pcloud.link/publink/… . Please let me know if anything here still seems unclear.. $\endgroup$ Commented Oct 25, 2023 at 16:16
  • $\begingroup$ I accepted it, thanks a lot! $\endgroup$ Commented Oct 28, 2023 at 7:14

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