The Rate of Convergence for Subexponential Distributions and Densities

A distribution function F on the nonnegative real line is called subexponential if lim_x(1-F ^*n (x)/(1 - F(x)) = n for all n 2, where F ^*n denotes the nfold Stieltjes convolution of F with itself. In this paper, we consider the rate of convergence in the above definition and in its density analogue. Among others we discuss the asymptotic behavior of the remainder term R _n (x) defined by R _n (x) = 1 - F*n(x) - n(1 - F(x)) and of its density analogue r_n (x) = -(R_n (x))'. Our results complement and complete those obtained by several authors. In an earlier paper, we obtained results of the form _n(x) = O(1)f(x)R(x), where f is the density of F and R(x) = ₀ ^x (1-F(y))dy. In this paper, among others we obtain asymptotic expressions of the form R _n(x)= ₂ ⁿ R₂(x) + O(1)(-f'(x))R²(x) where f' is the derivative of f.