17
$\begingroup$

$\mathrm G$ is Catalan's constant.

I recently found the product $$ \alpha=\prod_{n=1}^{\infty}\frac{E_n(\frac12)E_n(\frac7{12})E_n(\frac1{20})E_n(\frac{13}{20})}{E_n(\frac14)E_n(\frac1{12})E_n(\frac3{20})E_n(\frac{11}{20})}=\\ \exp\left[\frac{47\mathrm G}{30\pi}+\frac34\right]\sqrt{\frac{33}{91\pi}\sqrt{\frac2\pi\frac{\sqrt[5]{11}}{\sqrt[3]{7}}\sqrt[5]{\frac{3^3}{13^{3}}}}}$$

Where $$E_n(x)=\frac{j(n+x)}{(en)^{2x}j(n-x)}\qquad x\in(0,1)$$ and $j(x)=x^x$.

Could I have some numerical evidence, or better yet an alternate proof? My tools are limited to desmos, which cannot really handle infinite products. Thanks.


My Proof:

We define $$\mathrm L(x)=\frac1\pi\int_0^{\pi x}\log(\sin t)dt$$ And we use $$\sin t=t\prod_{n\geq1}\left(1-\frac{t^2}{\pi^2 n^2}\right)$$ To see that $$\log(\sin t)=\log(t)+\sum_{n\geq1}\log\frac{\pi^2n^2-t^2}{\pi^2n^2}$$ Then integrate both sides over $[0,x]$ to get $$\pi\mathrm L(x/\pi)=x(\log x-1)+\sum_{n\geq1}x\log\bigg(1-\frac{x^2}{\pi^2n^2}\bigg)-2x+\pi n\log\frac{\pi n+x}{\pi n-x}$$ $$\pi\mathrm L(x/\pi)=\log\left[\frac{j(x)}{e^x}\right]+\sum_{n\geq1}\log\left[\frac{j(\pi n+x)}{(e\pi n)^{2x}j(\pi n-x)}\right]$$ $x\mapsto \pi x$: $$\pi\mathrm L(x)=\log\left[\frac{j(\pi x)}{e^{\pi x}}\right]+\sum_{n\geq1}\log\left[\frac{j(\pi n+\pi x)}{(e\pi n)^{2\pi x}j(\pi n-\pi x)}\right]$$ $$\mathrm L(x)=\log\left[\left(\frac\pi{e}\right)^xj(x)\right]+\sum_{n\geq1}\log E_n(x)$$ Then we define $$U(x)=\prod_{n\geq1}E_n(x)$$ To see that $$U(x)=\left(\frac{e}{\pi x}\right)^x\exp\mathrm L(x)$$ Where we used $$\sum_{n}\log(a_n)=\log\left[\prod_{n}a_n\right]$$ and the neat rules $$\log(a^b)=\log(e^{b\log a})=b\log a$$ $$\log(a)\pm b=\log\left(e^{\pm b}a\right)$$ to simplify the expressions. Next, we define $$P_{\mu,\nu}(a_1,a_2,\dots,a_\mu;b_1,b_2,\dots,b_\nu)=\frac{\prod_{i=1}^\mu U(a_i)}{\prod_{i=1}^\nu U(b_i)}$$ And we see that $$P_{\mu,\nu}(a_1,\dots,a_\mu;b_1,\dots,b_\nu)=\prod_{n\geq1}\frac{\prod_{i=1}^\mu E_n(a_i)}{\prod_{i=1}^\nu E_n(b_i)}$$ This gives $$P_{1,1}(x_1;x_2)=\left(\frac{e}{\pi}\right)^{x_1-x_2}\frac{j(x_2)}{j(x_1)}\exp\left[\mathrm L(x_1)-\mathrm L(x_2)\right]$$ Then we define $$\mathrm{T}(x)=\frac{1}{\pi}\int_0^{\pi x}\log(\tan t)dt=\mathrm L(x)-\mathrm L(x+1/2)-\frac12\log2$$ To get that $$P_{1,1}\left(x;x+\frac12\right)=\sqrt{\frac{2\pi}e}\,\frac{j(x+1/2)}{j(x)}\exp\mathrm T(x)$$ So we have $$P_{2,2}\left(x_1,x_2+\frac12 ;x_2,x_1+\frac12\right)=\frac{j(x_1+1/2)j(x_2)}{j(x_2+1/2)j(x_1)}\exp\left[\mathrm T(x_1)-\mathrm T(x_2)\right]$$ Then using the identities $$\mathrm L(1/2)=-\frac12\log2$$ $$\mathrm L(1/4)=\frac{\mathrm G}{2\pi}-\frac14\log2$$ We get $$P_{1,1}\left(\frac12;\frac14\right)=\frac1{(2\pi)^{1/4}}\exp\left[\frac{\mathrm G}{2\pi}+\frac14\right]\tag{1}$$ From here, the identity $$-\mathrm T(1/12)=\frac{2\mathrm G}{3\pi}$$ which gives $$P_{1,1}\left(\frac7{12};\frac1{12}\right)=\sqrt{\frac6{7\pi\sqrt[6]{7}}}\exp\left[\frac{2\mathrm G}{3\pi}+\frac12\right]\tag{2}$$ Then from here, the identity $$\mathrm T(1/20)-\mathrm T(3/20)=\frac{2\mathrm G}{5\pi}$$ gives $$P_{2,2}\left(\frac1{20},\frac{13}{20};\frac3{20},\frac{11}{20}\right)=\left(\frac{j(11)j(3)}{j(13)}\right)^{1/20}\exp\frac{2\mathrm G}{5\pi}\tag{3}$$ Then multiplying $(1),(2),$ and $(3)$, we have the desired result, namely $$P_{4,4}\left(\frac12,\frac7{12},\frac1{20},\frac{13}{20};\frac14,\frac1{12},\frac3{20},\frac{11}{20}\right)=\alpha$$

$\endgroup$

5 Answers 5

7
$\begingroup$

the OP asks for some numerical evidence: plotted below is the constant $\alpha$ minus the $\prod_{n=1}^N$ of the expression in OP, as a function of $N$; so at least within 1 part in 1000 the infinite product does seem to converge from above to the stated constant.

$\endgroup$
3
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ This is perfect, thank you. What software did you use to plot this? $\endgroup$
    – clathratus
    Mar 23, 2019 at 18:44
  • $\begingroup$ The downvote is mine. $\endgroup$
    – user64494
    Mar 23, 2019 at 18:57
  • $\begingroup$ oh, this is just Mathematica output. $\endgroup$ Mar 23, 2019 at 20:24
6
$\begingroup$

Using the Maple code from user64494's answer (but using mul(evalf(...)) instead of evalf(product(...)) for greater efficiency, and 20 digits), I computed the product for 1000,2000,3000,4000 terms. It took about four minutes.

The answers were: 0.78056641010997748236, 0.78056641010997748236, 0.78056641010997748236, 0.78056641010997748236.

Now assuming that the product to $N$ terms has an asymptotic expansion $$a_0+a_1/N+a_2/N^2+a_3/N^3+\cdots,$$ which can surely be proved but I didn't, extrapolation of these 4 values gives $$a_0\approx 0.7804591974129376479,a_1\approx 0.107, a_2\approx -0.0463, a_3\approx 0.0151.$$ The value of $a_0$ agrees with the proposed infinite product 0.7804591974129374862 to 15 digits.

ADDED: By evaluating $x^x$ as evalf(x)^x, the same computation runs in about 20 seconds even with twice the precision. Adding the product with 5000 terms, agreement to 20 digits is obtained.

ADDED[2]: I don't know how it does it, but Maple's built-in code for numerical evaluation of infinite products takes mere seconds to confirm this to 200 digits.

$\endgroup$
1
  • $\begingroup$ Also really great! Thanks for all the hard effort! 20 digits of precision is good enough for me. $\endgroup$
    – clathratus
    Mar 24, 2019 at 2:58
5
$\begingroup$

Each $P(x)=\sum_{n=1}^{\infty} \log E_n(x)$ is convergent and can be calculated using Mathematica, $$ P(x) = x [1-\log(2\pi x)] +\zeta^{(1,0)}(-1,1-x) -\zeta^{(1,0)}(-1,x), $$ as $\sum_n(n+a)\log(n+a) "=" -\zeta^{(1,0)}(-1,a)$. Further, the following identity holds (see, e.g., Zeta2, 10.02.20.0043.01): $$ \zeta^{(1,0)}(-1,x) - \zeta^{(1,0)}(-1,1-x) = \frac{1}{2\pi\mathrm{i}} \mathrm{Li}_2(\mathrm{e}^{2 \pi \mathrm{i} x})+ \frac{\pi \mathrm{i}}{2}\left(\frac{1}{6}-x-x^2\right), $$ with polylog $\mathrm{Li}$, such that $$ P(x) = x [1-\log(2\pi x)] -\frac{1}{2\pi\mathrm{i}} \mathrm{Li}_2(\mathrm{e}^{2 \pi \mathrm{i} x}) - \frac{\pi \mathrm{i}}{2}\left(\frac{1}{6}-x-x^2\right). $$ The non-trivial polylogs cancel in the final sum of the $P$'s, with the result $$ \log \alpha = \frac{47 C}{30 \pi }+\frac{3}{4}+\frac{\log 2}{4}-\frac{13}{20} \log \frac{13}{3}-\frac{7}{12} \log 7 + \frac{11}{20}\log 11-\frac{3 }{4}\log \pi. $$

$\endgroup$
2
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ Quick question: is $$\zeta^{(p,q)}(s,z)=\left(\frac{\partial}{\partial s}\right)^p \left(\frac{\partial}{\partial z}\right)^q \zeta(s,z)$$ or is there a different meaning for this notation? $\endgroup$
    – clathratus
    May 14, 2019 at 20:57
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Correct. $\zeta(s,z)$ is the Hurwitz zeta function, see link above. $\endgroup$
    – Fred Hucht
    May 15, 2019 at 5:29
4
$\begingroup$

The following Mathematica code

NProduct[(1/2 + n)^(1/2 + n)/(Exp[1]*n)^(2*1/2)/(n - 1/2)^(n - 
  1/2)*(7/12 + n)^(7/12 + n)/(Exp[1]*n)^(2*7/12)/(n - 7/12)^(n - 
  7/12)*(1/20 + n)^(1/20 + n)/(Exp[1]*n)^(2*1/20)/(n - 1/20)^(n - 
  1/20)*(13/20 + n)^(13/20 + n)/(Exp[1]*n)^(2*13/20)/(n -13/20)^(n -13/20)/
((1/4 + n)^(1/4 + n)/(Exp[1]*n)^(2*1/4)/(n - 
       1/4)^(n - 1/4))/((1/12 + n)^(1/12 + n)/(Exp[1]*
       n)^(2*1/12)/(n - 1/12)^(n - 1/12))/((11/20 + n)^(11/20 + 
      n)/(Exp[1]*n)^(2*11/20)/(n - 11/20)^(n - 11/20))/((3/20 + 
     n)^(3/20 + n)/(Exp[1]*n)^(2*3/20)/(n - 3/20)^(n - 3/20)),
{n,1,Infinity}, AccuracyGoal -> 3, WorkingPrecision -> 15]

performs

$0.78046 $

If somebody verifies the above code, it would be kind of her/him.

Addition. The Maple command for the product up to $100$

Digits:=15:evalf(product((1/2+n)^(1/2+n)*(7/12+n)^(7/12+n)*(1/20+n)^(1/20+n)*(13/20+n)^(13/20+n)*(n-1/4)^(n-1/4)*(n-1/12)^(n-1/12)*(n-11/20)^(n-11/20)*(n-3/20)^(n-3/20)/(exp(1)*n*(n-1/2)^(n-1/2)*sqrt(exp(1)*n)*(n-7/12)^(n-7/12)*(n-1/20)^(n-1/20)*(n-13/20)^(n-13/20)*(1/4+n)^(1/4+n)*(1/12+n)^(1/12+n)*(11/20+n)^(11/20+n)*(3/20+n)^(3/20+n)), n = 1 .. 100));

produces $0.781527175985084 $.

Also

N[Exp[47*Catalan/30/Pi + 3/4]*  Sqrt[33/91/Pi*Sqrt[2/Pi*11^(1/5)/7^(1/3)*3^(3/5)/13^(3/5)]], 15]

$0.780459197412937 $

Edit. A typo in the codes ($(n-1/2)^{n-1/2}$ instead of $(n-1/2)^{n-1}$) is corrected. That typo leads to incorrect results.

$\endgroup$
3
$\begingroup$

Following off of @user64494, the Mathematica code

Product[(1/2 + n)^(1/2 + n)/(Exp[1]*n)^(2*1/2)/(n - 1/2)^(n - 1/2)*(7/12 + n)^(7/12 + n)/(Exp[1]*n)^(2*7/12)/(n - 7/12)^(n - 7/12)*(1/20 + n)^(1/20 + n)/(Exp[1]*n)^(2*1/20)/(n - 1/20)^(n - 1/20)*(13/20 + n)^(13/20 + n)/(Exp[1]*n)^(2*13/20)/(n - 13/20)^(n - 13/20)/((1/4 + n)^(1/4 + n)/(Exp[1]*n)^(2*1/4)/(n - 1/4)^(n - 1/4))/((1/12 + n)^(1/12 + n)/(Exp[1]* n)^(2*1/12)/(n - 1/12)^(n - 1/12))/((11/20 + n)^(11/20 + n)/(Exp[1]*n)^(2*11/20)/(n - 11/20)^(n - 11/20))/((3/20 + n)^(3/20 + n)/(Exp[1]*n)^(2*3/20)/(n - 3/20)^(n - 3/20)), {n, 1, Infinity}]

gives the closed form output

$$\frac{{2}^{1/4} 3^{13/20} 11^{11/20} 5^{\frac{1}{5} \zeta \left(-1,-\frac{1}{4}\right)-\frac{1}{480}} \exp \left(\frac{1}{5} \zeta ^{(1,0)}\left(-1,-\frac{1}{4}\right)+\zeta ^{(1,0)}\left(-1,\frac{19}{20}\right)-\zeta ^{(1,0)}\left(-1,-\frac{1}{20}\right)+\frac{97 C}{60 \pi }+\frac{361}{480}\right)}{7^{7/12} 13^{13/20} \pi ^{3/4} {A}^{1/40}}$$

where $A$ is the Glaisher's constant which is approximately 1.28243 and $\zeta$ is the (generalized) Riemann zeta function. Evaluating the above mess to 20 decimal places gives

$$0.780~459~197~412~937~486~21.$$

$\endgroup$
1
  • $\begingroup$ Woah! I had no idea that Glaisher's constant was in here! Thanks. $\endgroup$
    – clathratus
    Mar 24, 2019 at 15:44

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.