Let xn be a sequence of numbers satisfying
0<xn≤xn−1≤…≤x0=1,n∈N
as well as
limn→∞xn=0,and limn→∞xnxn−1=α∈(0,1).
From this it follows that
limn→∞x1/nn=α;
my question is, under what conditions (the milder the better) can one conclude that the limit
L=limn→∞xnαn
exists? I don't think it is true in general, but there are extra properties that the xn satisfy which may be germaine and sufficient to secure the result; for the moment though, I'll keep the question unfettered by potential red herrings.
Some thoughts which may or may not be useful:
the sequence ϕn:=xnαn can be shown to be submultiplicative, i.e.
ϕn+m≤ϕnϕm,n,m∈N,
and since xn decreases from 1 to 0, there is a point at which it "crosses" the line y=α, after which point xnα<1.
EDIT
Etienne gave a nice answer. It did not apply directly to my specific situation, but I believe it handles the original question nicely. The additional details of my specific problem are unlikely to be searched for - at least much less likely than the original question. So I'll accept the answer and leave it at that!
Thanks!
Answer
Here are simple conditions under which xnαn does converge, without even assuming that (xn) is decreasing or that xnxn−1→α:
(i) If xnxn−1≤α for all n then xnαn converges (in R).
(ii) If xnxn−1≥α for all n, then xnαn converges in R∪{+∞}.
To prove this, set un:=−log(xn). If (i) holds, then un−un−1≥β:=−log(α) for all n. So the sequence vn:=un−nβ is nondecreasing. Hence vn has a limit in R∪{+∞}, so that xnαn=e−vn has a limit in R. If (ii) holds, then vn is nonincreasing, so it has a limit in R∪{−∞} and hence xnαn has a limit in R∪{+∞}.
However, as you guessed, the result is not true in general.
Consider for example the sequence defined by x0=1 and the "recurrence relation"
xn=xn−1(α−αn)
where (αn)n≥1 is a sequence of real numbers tending to 0 such that αn<α for all n, 1+infn≥1αn>α and, moreover, the series ∑log(1−αnα) is not convergent and does not diverge to −∞. For an explicit example, one may take αn:=(−1)n√nδ, where 0<δ<α and 1−δ>α; or (much simpler), any sequence of negative numbers αn such that 1+infn≥1αn>α and ∑∞1αn=−∞.
Then $0
Taking the logarithms (which is possible because 1−αkα>0, this gives
log(xnαn)=n∑k=1log(1−αkα);
so log(xnαn) does not converge in R and does not tend to −∞ either, and hence xnαn does not converge.
Edit. If one takes αn:=a(1−a√n−√n+1), one gets Clin's example. If one takes αn=−αn (assuming α<1/2), one gets the extremely simple xn=(n+1)αn.
Note that α<1/2 is necessary only to ensure that (xn) is decreasing. If one forgets this requirement, one may take
xn=Cnαn
where (Cn) is any sequence of positive numbers such that Cn→∞ and Cn+1Cn→1. This sequence will be decreasing with x0=1 if C0=1 and Cn+1Cn<1α for all n.
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