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13 Confluent Hypergeometric FunctionsKummer Functions

§13.2 Definitions and Basic Properties

Contents

§13.2(i) Differential Equation

Kummer’s Equation

This equation has a regular singularity at the origin with indices 0 and 1-b, and an irregular singularity at infinity of rank one. It can be regarded as the limiting form of the hypergeometric differential equation (§15.10(i)) that is obtained on replacing z by \ifrac{z}{b}, letting b\to\infty, and subsequently replacing the symbol c by b. In effect, the regular singularities of the hypergeometric differential equation at b and \infty coalesce into an irregular singularity at \infty.

Standard Solutions

The first two standard solutions are:

13.2.2\mathop{M\/}\nolimits\!\left(a,b,z\right)=\sum_{{s=0}}^{{\infty}}\frac{\left(a%
\right)_{{s}}}{\left(b\right)_{{s}}s!}z^{{s}}=1+\frac{a}{b}z+\frac{a(a+1)}{b(b%
+1)2!}z^{{2}}+\cdots,

and

13.2.3\mathop{{\mathbf{M}}\/}\nolimits\!\left(a,b,z\right)=\sum_{{s=0}}^{{\infty}}%
\frac{\left(a\right)_{{s}}}{\mathop{\Gamma\/}\nolimits\!\left(b+s\right)s!}z^{%
{s}},

except that \mathop{M\/}\nolimits\!\left(a,b,z\right) does not exist when b is a nonpositive integer. In other cases

The series (13.2.2) and (13.2.3) converge for all z\in\Complex. \mathop{M\/}\nolimits\!\left(a,b,z\right) is entire in z and a, and is a meromorphic function of b. \mathop{{\mathbf{M}}\/}\nolimits\!\left(a,b,z\right) is entire in z, a, and b.

Although \mathop{M\/}\nolimits\!\left(a,b,z\right) does not exist when b=-n, n=0,1,2,\dots, many formulas containing \mathop{M\/}\nolimits\!\left(a,b,z\right) continue to apply in their limiting form. In particular,

When a=-n, n=0,1,2,\dots, \mathop{{\mathbf{M}}\/}\nolimits\!\left(a,b,z\right) is a polynomial in z of degree not exceeding n; this is also true of \mathop{M\/}\nolimits\!\left(a,b,z\right) provided that b is not a nonpositive integer.

Another standard solution of (13.2.1) is \mathop{U\/}\nolimits\!\left(a,b,z\right), which is determined uniquely by the property

13.2.6\mathop{U\/}\nolimits\!\left(a,b,z\right)\sim z^{{-a}},z\to\infty, |\mathop{\mathrm{ph}\/}\nolimits z|\leq\frac{3}{2}\pi-\delta,

where \delta is an arbitrary small positive constant. In general, \mathop{U\/}\nolimits\!\left(a,b,z\right) has a branch point at z=0. The principal branch corresponds to the principal value of z^{{-a}} in (13.2.6), and has a cut in the z-plane along the interval (-\infty,0]; compare §4.2(i).

When b=-n, n=0,1,2,\dots, the following equation can be combined with (13.2.9) and (13.2.10):

§13.2(ii) Analytic Continuation

Except when z=0 each branch of \mathop{U\/}\nolimits\!\left(a,b,z\right) is entire in a and b. Unless specified otherwise, however, \mathop{U\/}\nolimits\!\left(a,b,z\right) is assumed to have its principal value.

§13.2(iii) Limiting Forms as z\to 0

Next, in cases when a=-n or -n+b-1, where n is a nonnegative integer,

In all other cases

13.2.16\mathop{U\/}\nolimits\!\left(a,b,z\right)=\frac{\mathop{\Gamma\/}\nolimits\!%
\left(b-1\right)}{\mathop{\Gamma\/}\nolimits\!\left(a\right)}z^{{1-b}}+\mathop%
{O\/}\nolimits\!\left(z^{{2-\realpart{b}}}\right),\realpart{b}\geq 2, b\not=2,

§13.2(iv) Limiting Forms as z\to\infty

Except when a=0,-1,\dots (polynomial cases),

where \delta is an arbitrary small positive constant.

For \mathop{U\/}\nolimits\!\left(a,b,z\right) see (13.2.6).

§13.2(v) Numerically Satisfactory Solutions

Fundamental pairs of solutions of (13.2.1) that are numerically satisfactory (§2.7(iv)) in the neighborhood of infinity are

A fundamental pair of solutions that is numerically satisfactory near the origin is

§13.2(vi) Wronskians