Tauberian theory for the asymptotic forms of statistical frequency functions

Abstract

An Abelian theorem is a theorem stating that a given behaviour on the part of each of several quantities entails similar behaviour for their average. A Tauberian theorem is a converse to an Abelian theorem. As a rule, a given behaviour of an average will not entail similar behaviour of the individual quantities themselves unless there is some condition imposed to secure reasonably uniform behaviour amongst the individuals. Such a condition, known as a Tauberian condition, is usually sufficient but not necessary, and it enters into the premises of the Tauberian theorem. We interpret ‘average’ in a wide sense to include any kind of smoothing process; for example, the integral of a function f(t) is an average of the values of f(t) corresponding to individual values of t; and we may seek a sufficient Tauberian condition such that a limit-behaviour of an integral-averageentails the corresponding limit-behaviourfor individual values of t.