Monotonicity properties of zeros of generalized Airy functions (Q1823354)

The generalized Airy function is a solution of the differential equation \[ (1)\quad y''+x^{\alpha}y=0,\quad x\in [0,\infty), \] where \(\alpha\) is a positive number. From the introduction: ``M. S. P. Eastham conjectured that the first positive zero \(a_{\alpha 1}\) of a solution of (1) with \(y(0)=0\), decreases as \(\alpha\) increases. We show here that this decrease (to 1) occurs for all positive zeros of such a solution and indeed for all, except possibly the first of the zeros of any nontrivial solution of (1) even without the condition \(y(0)=0.\)''