Fix any real and restrict to . The parameter derivative is
This bound is integrable on and is uniform throughout the parameter neighborhood. Part (ii) supplied integrability at , so dominated differentiation under the integral sign proves differentiability there. As was arbitrary,
For , ; for , . Since , these comparisons give
The first two inequalities are actually strict, because the exponential differs strictly from one throughout . Differentiating once more under the same type of bound gives . Hence is strictly convex and lies above its tangent at zero. These properties are collected in exponential integral with a square-root endpoint singularity.
Figure 1.
The parameter integral is convex, and its derivative crosses two at zero
. The endpoint singularity is removed numerically using . The left panel compares with its tangent ; the right panel displays the derivative inequalities proved in the solution. Details.