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29 Lamé FunctionsLamé Functions

§29.2 Differential Equations

Contents
  1. §29.2(i) Lamé’s Equation
  2. §29.2(ii) Other Forms

§29.2(i) Lamé’s Equation

where k and \nu are real parameters such that 0<k<1 and \nu\geq-\tfrac{1}{2}. For \operatorname{sn}\left(z,k\right) see §22.2. This equation has regular singularities at the points 2pK+(2q+1)\mathrm{i}{K^{\prime}}, where p,q\in\mathbb{Z}, and K, {K^{\prime}} are the complete elliptic integrals of the first kind with moduli k, k^{\prime}(=(1-k^{2})^{1/2}), respectively; see §19.2(ii). In general, at each singularity each solution of (29.2.1) has a branch point (§2.7(i)). See Figure 29.2.1.

§29.2(ii) Other Forms

29.2.2 \frac{{\mathrm{d}}^{2}w}{{\mathrm{d}\xi}^{2}}+\frac{1}{2}\left(\frac{1}{\xi}+%
\frac{1}{\xi-1}+\frac{1}{\xi-k^{-2}}\right)\frac{\mathrm{d}w}{\mathrm{d}\xi}+%
\frac{hk^{-2}-\nu(\nu+1)\xi}{4\xi(\xi-1)(\xi-k^{-2})}w=0,

where

29.2.3 \xi={\operatorname{sn}}^{2}\left(z,k\right).

where

29.2.5 \phi=\tfrac{1}{2}\pi-\operatorname{am}\left(z,k\right).

For \operatorname{am}\left(z,k\right) see §22.16(i).

Next, let e_{1},e_{2},e_{3} be any real constants that satisfy e_{1}>e_{2}>e_{3} and

29.2.6
e_{1}+e_{2}+e_{3}=0,
\ifrac{(e_{2}-e_{3})}{(e_{1}-e_{3})}=k^{2}.

(These constants are not unique.) Then with

29.2.7 g=(e_{1}-e_{3})h+\nu(\nu+1)e_{3},

we have

29.2.9 \frac{{\mathrm{d}}^{2}w}{{\mathrm{d}\eta}^{2}}+(g-\nu(\nu+1)\wp\left(\eta%
\right))w=0,

and

29.2.10 {\frac{{\mathrm{d}}^{2}w}{{\mathrm{d}\zeta}^{2}}+\frac{1}{2}\left(\frac{1}{%
\zeta-e_{1}}+\frac{1}{\zeta-e_{2}}+\frac{1}{\zeta-e_{3}}\right)\frac{\mathrm{d%
}w}{\mathrm{d}\zeta}}+\frac{g-\nu(\nu+1)\zeta}{4(\zeta-e_{1})(\zeta-e_{2})(%
\zeta-e_{3})}w=0,

where

29.2.11 \zeta=\wp\left(\eta;g_{2},g_{3}\right)=\wp\left(\eta\right),

with

29.2.12
g_{2}=-4(e_{2}e_{3}+e_{3}e_{1}+e_{1}e_{2}),
g_{3}=4e_{1}e_{2}e_{3}.

For the Weierstrass function \wp see §23.2(ii).

Equation (29.2.10) is a special case of Heun’s equation (31.2.1).