Asymptotics of the Titchmarsh-Weyl m-coefficient for integrable potentials

This article is concerned with the asymptotic behaviour of m(λ), the Titchmarsh-Weyl m-coefficient, for the singular eigenvalue equation y“ + (λ − q(x))y = 0 on [0, ∞), as λ →∞ in a sector in the upper half of the complex plane. It is assumed that the potential function q is integrable near 0. A simplified proof is given of a result of Atkinson [7], who derived the first two terms in the asymptotic expansion of m(λ), and a sharper error bound is obtained. Theproof is then generalised to derive subsequent terms in the asymptotic expansion. It is shown that the Titchmarsh-Weyl m-coefficient admits an asymptotic power series expansion if the potential function satisfies some smoothness condition. A simple method to compute the expansion coefficients is presented. The results for the first few coefficients agree with those given by Harris [9].