Superlinear solutions of sublinear fractional differential equations and regular variation

Abstract

We consider a sublinear fractional equation of the order in the interval (1, 2). We give conditions guaranteeing that this equation possesses asymptotically superlinear solutions. We show that all of these solutions are regularly varying and establish precise asymptotic formulae for them. Further we prove non-improvability of the conditions. In addition to the asymptotically superlinear solutions we discuss also other classes of solutions, some of them having no ODE analogy. In the very special case, when the coefficient is asymptotically equivalent to a power function and the order of the equation is 2, we get known results in their full generality. We reveal substantial differences between the integer order and non-integer order case. Among other tools, we utilize the fractional Karamata integration theorem and the fractional generalized L’Hospital rule which are proved in the paper. Several examples illustrating our results but serving also in alternative proofs are given too. We provide also numerical simulations.