Besssel and legendre's equation

  • Thread starter Wishbone
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In summary, the conversation is about two functions, the Bessel function and the Legendre's equation. The first question is regarding the irregular solution of the Bessel function, which has irregular singularities. The second question is about the indicial equation for the Legendre's equation and what happens when s=-1. The expert summarizer states that for integer n, the solution Y_n(x) of the Bessel function has a singularity at x=0, making it the irregular solution. The first kind solutions, J_n(x), are defined everywhere.
  • #1
Wishbone
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Hi, I need a little clarification about these two functions.

One question I have is what is the irregular solution of the bessel function? I know it has a irregular singularities, but I am asked to talk about the irregular solution of the bessel function, and I'm not sure what to say about it, or what it is.


Secondly, the question reads what happens if we choose s=-1 from the indicial equation for the legendre's equation. The problem is I don't know of any s in the indicial equation. Could s be the same as n?

(n+1)(n+2)a_(n+2)+[-n(n+1)+l(l+1)]a_n==0
 
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  • #2
I know that for integer n, the solution [itex]Y_n(x)[/itex] (n-th Bessel function of the second kind) has a singularity at x=0. So I guess that's the irregular solution. The first kind solutions [itex]J_n(x)[/itex] are defined everywhere.
 

1. What is Bessel's equation?

Bessel's equation is a differential equation that arises in many areas of physics and engineering. It is named after the mathematician Friedrich Bessel and is used to solve problems involving cylindrical or spherical symmetry.

2. What is Legendre's equation?

Legendre's equation is a differential equation that is used to solve problems involving spherical symmetry, such as the motion of planets or the distribution of electric charge on a spherical surface. It is named after the mathematician Adrien-Marie Legendre.

3. How are Bessel's and Legendre's equations related?

Bessel's and Legendre's equations are both special cases of a more general type of differential equation known as a special function equation. They are also related through a technique called the Frobenius method, which is commonly used to solve these types of equations.

4. What is the significance of Bessel's and Legendre's equations?

Both Bessel's and Legendre's equations have many important applications in physics and engineering. Bessel's equation, for example, is used to describe the behavior of waves in cylindrical or spherical systems, while Legendre's equation is used to model the potential of a point charge in a spherical coordinate system.

5. Can Bessel's and Legendre's equations be solved analytically?

Yes, both Bessel's and Legendre's equations can be solved analytically using various techniques such as the Frobenius method or the method of separation of variables. However, for more complex equations or boundary conditions, numerical methods may be necessary to find a solution.

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