A Method for Incorporating Transcendentally Small Terms into the Method of Matched Asymptotic Expansions

The essential ideas behind a method for incorporating exponentially small terms into the method of matched asymptotic expansions are demonstrated using an Ackerberg–O'Malley resonance problem and a spurious solutions problem of Carrier and Pearson. One begins with the application of the standard method of matched asymptotic expansions to obtain at least the leading terms in outer and inner (Poincaré-type) expansions; some, although not all, matching can be carried out at this stage. This is followed by the introduction of supplementary expansions whose gauge functions are transcendentally small compared to those in the standard expansions. Analysis of terms in these expansions allows the matching to be completed. Furthermore, the method allows for the inclusion of globally valid transcendentally small contributions to the asymptotic solution; it is well known that such terms may be numerically significant.