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Let $$h(u):=u^3 \left|\int_u^\infty \frac{e^{-i t}}{t^3} \, dt\right|$$ for $u>0$. Is the function $h$ concave on $(0,\infty)$?

(For context, see Proposition 4.4.4 and formula (4.4.21) in this paper or, equivalently, Proposition 4.4 and formula (4.21) in the corresponding arXiv preprint. In particular, according to that proposition, $h(v^{1/6})^2$ is concave in $v>0$.)

Here is the graph $\{(u,h(u)):0<u<16\}$:

Graph of y = h(u) for 0 < u < 16

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    $\begingroup$ @Pinelis you define $h$ and then ask if $g$ is concave. But what is $g$? $\endgroup$
    – juan
    Commented Apr 22, 2021 at 15:34
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    $\begingroup$ @juan : Thank you for your comment. I was changing $g$ to $h$ (to avoid confusion with the cited paper), but did that incompletely -- sorry about that. The notation was fixed just a couple minutes before your comment. $\endgroup$ Commented Apr 22, 2021 at 15:39

1 Answer 1

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Strange that I missed this one. On the other hand I haven't visited MO often lately. Anyway, here is the solution (It is always tempting to renew our old discussion on what problems a minimally intelligent AI should be able to solve, but I'll abstain from it for now).

Yes, it is concave.

Step 1: Convenient representation

$$ u^3\left|\int_u^\infty \frac{e^{is}}{s^3}\,ds\right| =u^3\left|\int_1^\infty \frac{e^{ius}}{(us)^3}\,d(us)\right| \\ =u\left|\int_1^\infty \frac{e^{ius}}{s^3}\,ds\right| =u\left|\int_0^\infty \frac{e^{ius}}{(s+1)^3}\,ds\right|\,. $$ Now $$ \frac1{(s+1)^3}=c\int_0^\infty t^2e^{-(s+1)t}\,dt\,, $$ so we need to consider $$ u\left|\int_0^\infty t^2e^{-t}\,dt\int_0^\infty{e^{-s(t-iu)}}\,ds\right| =u\left|\int_0^\infty \frac1{t-iu}t^2e^{-t}\,dt\right|=u|I(u)|\,. $$ We have $$ |I(u)|^2=I(u)\overline{I(u)}=\iint_{(0,\infty)^2}\Re\left[\frac{1}{t-iu}\frac{1}{\tau+iu}\right]t^2\tau^2e^{-(t+\tau)}\,dt d\tau \\ =\iint_{(0,\infty)^2}\frac{u^2+t\tau}{(u^2+t^2)(u^2+\tau^2)}t^2\tau^2e^{-(t+\tau)}\,dt d\tau \\ =\iint_{(0,\infty)^2}\frac 1{t+\tau}\left[\frac{t}{u^2+t^2}+\frac{\tau}{u^2+\tau^2}\right]t^2\tau^2e^{-(t+\tau)}\,dt d\tau \\ =2\int_0^\infty\frac{t}{u^2+t^2} t^2\Phi(t)\,dt=2J(u)\,, $$ where $$ \Phi(t)=e^{-t}\int_0^\infty\frac{\tau^2}{t+\tau}e^{-\tau}\,d\tau\,. $$

Step 2: Differentiation

$$ \frac{d}{du}[u\sqrt{J(u)}]=\frac 1{\sqrt{J(u)}}[J(u)+\tfrac 12uJ'(u)]\,. $$ Also $$ \frac 12uJ'(u)=-\int_0^\infty\frac{tu^2}{(u^2+t^2)^2} t^2\Phi(t)\,dt\,, $$ so $$ J(u)+\frac 12uJ'(u)=\int_0^\infty\frac{t^3}{(u^2+t^2)^2} t^2\Phi(t)\,dt\,. $$

Step 3: Reduction to the ratio of integrals

We need to show that the last integral, when divided by $\sqrt{J(u)}$, becomes a decreasing function of $u$. Since $J(u)$ is clearly a decreasing function of $u$, it will suffice to prove the decreasing property for the integral divided by $J(u)$ instead, i.e., to show that $$ \frac{\int_0^\infty\frac{t^5}{(u^2+t^2)^2}\Phi(t)\,dt}{\int_0^\infty\frac{t^3}{u^2+t^2}\Phi(t)\,dt} $$ is a decreasing function of $u$.

Denoting $T=t^2$, $U=u^2$, $\Psi(T)=\Phi(\sqrt T)$, we can rewrite this ratio as $$ \frac{\int_0^\infty\frac{T^2}{(U+T)^2}\Psi(T)\,dT}{\int_0^\infty\frac{T}{U+T}\Psi(T)\,dT}\,. $$ Integrating by parts, we get $$ \int_0^\infty\frac{T^2\Psi(T)}{(U+T)^2}\,dT=2\int_0^\infty\frac{T}{U+T}\Psi(T)\,dT+\int_0^\infty\frac{T}{U+T}T\Psi'(T)\,dT\,. $$ Thus we just need to prove that $$ \frac{\int_0^\infty\frac{T}{U+T}T\Psi'(T)\,dT}{\int_0^\infty\frac{T}{U+T}\Psi(T)\,dT} $$ is decreasing in $U$.

Step 4: A standard Lemma

Let $\mu$ be any positive measure and let $f:(0,+\infty)\to\mathbb R$ be any decreasing function. Then $$ \frac{\int_0^\infty\frac{T}{U+T}f(T)\,d\mu(T)}{\int_0^\infty\frac{T}{U+T}\,d\mu(T)} $$ is decreasing in $U$.

Indeed, it is enough to consider $f=\chi_{(0,a)}-C$ (every decreasing function is an integral linear combination of functions of this kind with non-negative coefficients). $-C$, clearly, does not matter, and $$ \frac{\int_0^a\frac{T}{U+T}\,d\mu(T)}{\int_0^\infty\frac{T}{U+T}\,d\mu(T)}=\frac{1}{1+\frac{\int_a^\infty\frac{T}{U+T}\,d\mu(T)}{\int_0^a\frac{T}{U+T}\,d\mu(T)}}\, $$ so we just need to check that $$ \frac{\int_0^a\frac{T}{U+T}\,d\mu(T)}{\int_a^\infty\frac{T}{U+T}\,d\mu(T)} $$ is decreasing in $U$, which is quite obvious because when we replace $U$ by $U_1>U$, the integrand in the numerator is multiplied at every point by at most $\frac{U+a}{U_1+a}$ and the integrand in the denominator by at least that amount ($T\mapsto \frac{U+T}{U_1+T}$ is increasing in $T>0$).

We now have the

Moral

If $\frac{T\Psi'(T)}{\Psi(T)}$ is a decreasing function of $T$, then $$ \frac{\int_0^\infty\frac{T^2}{(U+T)^2}\Psi(T)\,dT}{\int_0^\infty\frac{T}{U+T}\Psi(T)\,dT} $$ is a decreasing function of $U$.

Step 5: The decreasing property of $\frac{T\Psi'(T)}{\Psi(T)}$

We have $$ \frac{T\Psi'(T)}{\Psi(T)}=\frac12\frac{\sqrt T\Phi'(\sqrt T)}{\Phi(\sqrt T)} $$ so it suffices to check that $\frac{t\Phi'(t)}{\Phi(t)}$ decreases in $t>0$.

Now, $$ \frac{t\Phi'(t)}{\Phi(t)}=-t-\frac{\int_0^\infty\frac{\tau^2t}{(t+\tau)^2}e^{-\tau}\,d\tau}{\int_0^\infty\frac{\tau^2}{t+\tau}e^{-\tau}\,d\tau}=-t-1+\frac{\int_0^\infty\frac{\tau^2}{(t+\tau)^2}\tau e^{-\tau}\,d\tau}{\int_0^\infty\frac{\tau}{t+\tau}\tau e^{-\tau}\,d\tau} $$ and it remains to show that the last term is a decreasing function of $t$. By the Moral (with $t$ instead of $U$ and $\tau$ instead of $T$), we just need to check that $$ \frac{\tau\frac{d}{d\tau}(\tau e^{-\tau})}{\tau e^{-\tau}}=1-\tau $$ is a decreasing function of $\tau$, which is sort of obvious.

The End

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    $\begingroup$ If a minimally intelligent AI might solve this, then I would love to have access to it. $\endgroup$
    – user44143
    Commented Aug 11, 2021 at 1:13
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    $\begingroup$ @MattF. In a sense you always have it: just emulate it in your brain. Solving such problems is similar to the chess game: you just consider finitely many available moves at each step and evaluate the resulting positions by some simple score function, which in this case reflects the simplicity of the resulting expression and applicability of well-known general principles. Computers nowadays beat grand masters in chess, so I see no reason why they couldn't beat an average mathematician in the game of finding short proofs of elementary inequalities. $\endgroup$
    – fedja
    Commented Aug 11, 2021 at 9:51
  • $\begingroup$ Thank you very much! Your "Moral" and its use at the end is really funny, and the entire proof is very nice. $\endgroup$ Commented Aug 11, 2021 at 13:09
  • $\begingroup$ @IosifPinelis You are most cordially welcome! $\endgroup$
    – fedja
    Commented Aug 11, 2021 at 14:38
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    $\begingroup$ @fedja I have absolutely no idea how you came up with this. I don't see why a (minimally intelligent) AI would think to write $\frac{1}{(s+1)^3} = c \int_0^\infty t^2 e^{-(s+1)t}dt$ and, more generally, just end up deciding to use the "convenient representation" you use. Enjoy a bounty for how everything comes together so nicely in your solution (and because I couldn't figure out this question, so I'm happy to see a solution). Finally, super minor point but can't edit your solution: there shouldn't be a $2$ in the integration by parts. $\endgroup$ Commented Aug 18, 2021 at 6:46

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