Summation of divergent series is applied in dynamical systems, q-difference equations, and mathematical physics nowadays (for example, see that book for info), this is not an old-fashioned topic.
Mathematica includes, in particular, Borel summation.
More exactly, the Regularization->Borel
option of the Sum
command is the implementation of the
Borel's integral summation method with analytic continuation in Mathematica.
Trying Regularization->Borel
in version 13 on Windows 10, I face a problem with the result of
Sum[n!, {n, 0, Infinity}, Regularization -> "Borel"]
-Subfactorial[-1]
N[-Subfactorial[-1]]
0.697175 + 1.15573 I
But directly using the definition of Regularization -> "Borel"
in the
"Details" section of the documentation to Regularization
, I obtain
Sum[n!*t^n/n!, {n, 0, Infinity}]
1/(1-t)
in a neighborhood of the origin.
First, the function f[t_]:=1/(1-t)
cannot be analytically continued
along the positive ray because of its singularity at t==1
(e.g. see
Encyclopedia of Mathematics and
Wiki for info).
Second, leaving aside the analytical continuation, the integral $\int_0^\infty \frac {e^{-t}} {1-t} \, dt$ diverges ant its principal value
Integrate[1/(1 - t)*Exp[-t], {t, 0, Infinity}, PrincipalValue -> True] // N
0.697175
This numerically coincides with the real part of the Mathematica result. It should be stressed that Wiki and Encyclopedia of Mathematics and G. H. Hardy's "Divergent series" say nothing about using principal values of integrals in Borel summation.
The article Borel summation of Wiki presents an example in the "An alternating factorial series" section $$ \sum _{k=0}^\infty k!(-z)^k =\frac {e^{\frac 1 z}} z \Gamma \left(0,\frac 1 z\right ), $$
but Wiki clearly says that is valid only in the so-called Borel polygon $\Re z > 0$ and Encyclopedia of Mathematics seconds it. The Google search $\sum_{k=0}^\infty k!$ does not bring the Mathematica result for it to me.
How to explain and ground the Mathematica result?
Edit. A typo: $\Re z > 0$ instead of $\Re z > 1$ .