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13 Confluent Hypergeometric FunctionsWhittaker Functions

§13.14 Definitions and Basic Properties

Contents

§13.14(i) Differential Equation

Whittaker’s Equation

13.14.1\frac{{d}^{2}W}{{dz}^{2}}+\left(-\frac{1}{4}+\frac{\kappa}{z}+\frac{\frac{1}{4%
}-\mu^{2}}{z^{2}}\right)W=0.

This equation is obtained from Kummer’s equation (13.2.1) via the substitutions W=e^{{-\frac{1}{2}z}}z^{{\frac{1}{2}+\mu}}w, \kappa=\tfrac{1}{2}b-a, and \mu=\tfrac{1}{2}b-\tfrac{1}{2}. It has a regular singularity at the origin with indices \tfrac{1}{2}\pm\mu, and an irregular singularity at infinity of rank one.

Standard Solutions

Standard solutions are:

13.14.2\mathop{M_{{\kappa,\mu}}\/}\nolimits\!\left(z\right)=e^{{-\frac{1}{2}z}}z^{{%
\frac{1}{2}+\mu}}\mathop{M\/}\nolimits\!\left(\tfrac{1}{2}+\mu-\kappa,1+2\mu,z%
\right),
13.14.3\mathop{W_{{\kappa,\mu}}\/}\nolimits\!\left(z\right)=e^{{-\frac{1}{2}z}}z^{{%
\frac{1}{2}+\mu}}\mathop{U\/}\nolimits\!\left(\tfrac{1}{2}+\mu-\kappa,1+2\mu,z%
\right),

except that \mathop{M_{{\kappa,\mu}}\/}\nolimits\!\left(z\right) does not exist when 2\mu=-1,-2,-3,\dots.

In general \mathop{M_{{\kappa,\mu}}\/}\nolimits\!\left(z\right) and \mathop{W_{{\kappa,\mu}}\/}\nolimits\!\left(z\right) are many-valued functions of z with branch points at z=0 and z=\infty. The principal branches correspond to the principal branches of the functions z^{{\frac{1}{2}+\mu}} and \mathop{U\/}\nolimits\!\left(\tfrac{1}{2}+\mu-\kappa,1+2\mu,z\right) on the right-hand sides of the equations (13.14.2) and (13.14.3); compare §4.2(i).

Although \mathop{M_{{\kappa,\mu}}\/}\nolimits\!\left(z\right) does not exist when 2\mu=-1,-2,-3,\dots, many formulas containing \mathop{M_{{\kappa,\mu}}\/}\nolimits\!\left(z\right) continue to apply in their limiting form. For example, if n=0,1,2,\dots, then

If 2\mu=\pm n, where n=0,1,2,\dots, then

§13.14(ii) Analytic Continuation

Except when z=0, each branch of the functions \ifrac{\mathop{M_{{\kappa,\mu}}\/}\nolimits\!\left(z\right)}{\mathop{\Gamma\/}%
\nolimits\!\left(2\mu+1\right)} and \mathop{W_{{\kappa,\mu}}\/}\nolimits\!\left(z\right) is entire in \kappa and \mu. Also, unless specified otherwise \mathop{M_{{\kappa,\mu}}\/}\nolimits\!\left(z\right) and \mathop{W_{{\kappa,\mu}}\/}\nolimits\!\left(z\right) are assumed to have their principal values.

§13.14(iii) Limiting Forms as z\to 0

§13.14(v) Numerically Satisfactory Solutions

Fundamental pairs of solutions of (13.14.1) that are numerically satisfactory (§2.7(iv)) in the neighborhood of infinity are

A fundamental pair of solutions that is numerically satisfactory in the sector |\mathop{\mathrm{ph}\/}\nolimits{z}|\leq\pi near the origin is

When 2\mu is an integer we may use the results of §13.2(v) with the substitutions b=2\mu+1, a=\mu-\kappa+\tfrac{1}{2}, and W=e^{{-\frac{1}{2}z}}z^{{\frac{1}{2}+\mu}}w, where W is the solution of (13.14.1) corresponding to the solution w of (13.2.1).