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Near $\arg z=\pi /3$, set $\lambda =-z^3$ on the branch with argument near zero and truncate the endpoint expansion at $N$ terms. Its remaining factorial series, indexed by $r=N+p$, is ${\lambda }^{-1/3}/[3\Gamma (2/3)]$ times the Borel summation of ${\sum }_{p\ge 0}\Gamma (N+2/3+p)e^{\lambda }/{\lambda }^{N+2/3+p}$. The upper-pole contour fixes the stated remainder and its continuation from the sector below the switching line. With $N+2/3\sim |z{|}^3$, the Gaussian pole transition for a large gamma parameter smooths the algebraic coefficient from $C$ to $C{e}^{2\pi i/3}$.

Use the Gaussian pole transition for a large gamma parameter. With $t=1+s/\sqrt{n}$ and $\lambda =n+i\mu \sqrt{n}+\nu +o(1)$, Taylor expansion givesThe upper semicircle is traversed from left to right, so $\int ds/s=-i\pi$ on the indentation. The minus sign in $dt/(1-t)$ therefore makes its contribution $+i\pi$. The remaining leading integral isAt $\mu =0$ its Cauchy principal value vanishes by oddness. Differentiating with respect to $\mu$ removes the pole, leaving the Fourier transform of a Gaussian:Integrating from zero givesThis is uniform for bounded real $\mu ,\nu$ (and extends analytically over bounded complex values where the local contour is continued consistently). Contributions away from the saddle are exponentially small after localization. The bounded shift $\nu$ enters at the next order, not the leading error function. For example, retaining the displayed cubic correction gives $\sqrt{2\pi /n}{e}^{-{\mu }^2/2}[\nu +(2+{\mu }^2)/3]$ as the next term. This also checks the constant and contour sign.

Choose $N$ near the least term, so $\gamma =N+2/3=R+O(1)$ with $R=|z{|}^3$. On writing $\beta =3(\arg z-\pi /3)$, the parameter is $\lambda =R{e}^{i\beta }$. For $\beta =O(R^{-1/2})$,The supplied Gaussian pole transition for a large gamma parameter therefore gives $I\sim i\pi [1+\mathrm{erf}(\mu /\sqrt{2})]$. Substitution in solution gives the smoothing formula in solution once the amplitude identity in solution is used.

The origin of the error function can also be seen locally. Set $t=1+s/\sqrt{\gamma }$ in the Borel integral. ThenThe saddle has become a Gaussian integral meeting a simple pole. With the upper-pole contour, the leading integral is $-{\int }_{{\mathcal{C}}_{+}}{e}^{-s^2/2-i\mu s}ds/s$. Its value at $\mu =0$ is $i\pi$ from the indentation. Differentiating with respect to $\mu$ gives $i\sqrt{2\pi }{e}^{-{\mu }^2/2}$, so integration from zero gives $i\pi [1+\mathrm{erf}(\mu /\sqrt{2})]$. This independently fixes the sign and the half-jump on the Stokes line.

First take $z>0$. Set $s=t^3-1$ in the tail integral. This puts it in the endpoint form needed for Watson's lemma:The binomial coefficients are $(-1{)}^r(2/3{)}_r/r!$, where $(a{)}_r=\Gamma (a+r)/\Gamma (a)$ is the rising factorial. Integrating each endpoint term givesAlso, scaling the complete positive-ray integral gives ${\int }_0^{\infty }{e}^{-z^3{t}^3}dt=\Gamma (1/3)/(3z)$. HenceThe endpoint term is exponentially small on this positive ray but must be retained for continuation to other sectors.

For complex $z$, use $s=zt$ so $G(z)=z^{-1}{\int }_0^z{e}^{-s^3}ds$. Put $C=\Gamma (1/3)/3$ and $\omega =e^{2\pi i/3}$. The complete steepest descent contours from the cubic saddle are the rays $\arg s=2\pi j/3$, whose integrals are $C{\omega }^j$. Deform the finite contour onto one of these rays followed by the endpoint contour. The cubic exponential integral Stokes sectors giveFor $0\le \arg z\le 2\pi$, take $j=0$ below $\pi /3$, $j=1$ between $\pi /3$ and $\pi$, $j=2$ between $\pi$ and $5\pi /3$, and $j=3$ above $5\pi /3$. The corresponding algebraic coefficients are $C,C\omega ,C{\omega }^2,C$. A negative-real $z$ provides a useful sign check: $G(z)=G(|z|e^{i\pi })$ is real and positive, so its two lateral algebraic coefficients must be complex conjugates.

The subdominant algebraic term switches across the Stokes linesThere $z^3$ is negative real and the endpoint exponential is dominant. The intervening anti-Stokes lines are $\arg z=\pi /6+j\pi /3$, where $\mathrm{Re}{z}^3=0$ and the exponential changes from growth to decay. The naming convention here distinguishes switching from equal exponential magnitude.

To resolve the jump near ${\theta }_s=\pi /3$, optimally truncate the endpoint series at $N$ with $N+2/3=R+O(1)$, where $R=|z{|}^3$. Let $P_N$ denote that truncated endpoint contribution. The Borel remainder for a cubic exponential integral derived in solution, together with the Gaussian pole transition for a large gamma parameter in solution, givesThis estimate is on the transition scale $\theta -\pi /3=O(R^{-1/2})$ after optimal truncation. The error-function smoothing of a Stokes multiplier has width $O(|z{|}^{-3/2})$. Before the line $S\to 0$ and the coefficient is $C$; after it $S\to 1$ and the coefficient is $C\omega$, agreeing with the sector expansions. On the line the leading coefficient is their average. The original $G$ is an entire function; only its asymptotic decomposition has these sector-dependent coefficients.