Asymptotic formulas and generalized Dedekind sums

Abstract

We find asymptotic formulas as $n\to\infty$ for the coefficients $a(r\hbox{,}\,n)$ defined by $$ \prod_{\nu=1}^\infty\,(1-x^\nu)^{-\nu^r} =\sum_{n=0}^\infty a(r\hbox{,}\,n)x^n\hbox{.} $$ (The case $r=1$ gives the number of plane partitions of $n$.) Generalized Dedekind sums occur naturally and are studied using the Finite Fourier Transform. The methods used are unorthodox; many of the computations are not justified but the result is in many cases very good numerically. The last section gives various formulas for Kinkelin's constant.