Slowly varying function


In real analysis, a branch of mathematics, a slowly varying function is a function of a real variable whose behaviour at infinity is in some sense similar to the behaviour of a function converging at infinity. Similarly, a regularly varying function is a function of a real variable whose behaviour at infinity is similar to the behaviour of a power law function near infinity. These classes of functions were both introduced by Jovan Karamata, and have found several important applications, for example in probability theory.

Basic definitions

. A measurable function is called slowly varying if for all,
. A function for which the limit
is finite but nonzero for every, is called a regularly varying function.
These definitions are due to Jovan Karamata.
Note. In the regularly varying case, the sum of two slowly varying functions is again slowly varying function.

Basic properties

Regularly varying functions have some important properties: a partial list of them is reported below. More extensive analyses of the properties characterizing regular variation are presented in the monograph by.

Uniformity of the limiting behaviour

. The limit in and is uniform if is restricted to a compact interval.

Karamata's characterization theorem

. Every regularly varying function is of the form
where
Note. This implies that the function in has necessarily to be of the following form
where the real number is called the index of regular variation.

Karamata representation theorem

. A function is slowly varying if and only if there exists such that for all the function can be written in the form
where