Expressing an integral in terms of gamma functions

In summary, the conversation discusses different methods for simplifying the integral $\int_0^{\infty} \frac{ds}{s-q^2} \frac{s^{-1-\epsilon}}{s-t \frac{z}{1-z}}$ and obtaining the final answer of $\Gamma(1-\epsilon) \Gamma(\epsilon) \frac{1}{t \frac{z}{1-z} - q^2} \left((-t)^{-1-\epsilon} \left(\frac{z}{1-z}\right)^{-1-\epsilon} -(-q^2)^{-1-\epsilon}\right)$. Some of the suggested methods include partial fractions, integration by parts, and using Feynman param
  • #1
CAF123
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I want to show that $$\int_0^{\infty} \frac{ds}{s-q^2} \frac{s^{-1-\epsilon}}{s-t \frac{z}{1-z}} = \Gamma(1-\epsilon) \Gamma(\epsilon) \frac{1}{t \frac{z}{1-z} - q^2} \left((-t)^{-1-\epsilon} \left(\frac{z}{1-z}\right)^{-1-\epsilon} -(-q^2)^{-1-\epsilon}\right) $$

I have many ideas on how to obtain the final answer but I haven't quite got there. I can rexpress the two denominator terms in terms of partial fractions to give $$ \frac{1}{q^2 - t\frac{z}{1-z}}\int_0^{\infty} ds \,s^{-1-\epsilon} \left( \frac{1}{s-q^2} - \frac{1}{s - t\frac{z}{1-z}}\right)$$

Consider the first integral: $$\int_0^{\infty} ds \, \frac{s^{-1-\epsilon}}{s-q^2}.$$ If I perform integration by parts I get $$\int_0^{\infty} ds \, \frac{s^{-1-\epsilon}}{s-q^2} = s^{-1-\epsilon}\ln|s-q^2| |^{\infty}_0 + (1+\epsilon) \int_0^{\infty}ds\, s^{-2-\epsilon} \ln |s-q^2|$$ I then thought about using the fact that $$\ln w = \frac{d}{d\alpha} w^{\alpha}|_{\alpha=0}$$ to have everything in terms of rationals but the subsequent integral is no more tractable as far as I can tell. I also thought about using 'Schwinger parameters' but again not quite of the form required.

Then I went back to the starting integral and thought about feynman parametrisation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feynman_parametrization to rexpress the two denominators in terms of an integral but again, the resulting integral did not lead anywhere.

Any hints or suggestions would be great! Thanks
 
  • #3
I tried working backwards from the form ##\Gamma(1-\epsilon)\Gamma(\epsilon)##.
I wrote that as a product of two integrals, then merged them into a double integral.
A change of coordinates produced a different double integral which could be factored back out to two single integrals again.
One of them was straightforward, the other produced ##\int \frac{y^{\epsilon-1}(1+y)}{1+y^2}dy##. Not sure whether that can be got into the form you need, or maybe I made a mistake somewhere. Looks close though.
 

1. What are gamma functions?

Gamma functions are mathematical functions that are used to extend the concept of factorial to real and complex numbers. They are denoted by the Greek letter gamma (Γ) and are closely related to the factorial function.

2. Why would I need to express an integral in terms of gamma functions?

Expressing an integral in terms of gamma functions can make it easier to evaluate and manipulate the integral, especially when dealing with complex or non-integer values. It is also useful in solving certain types of differential equations and in probability and statistics.

3. How do I express an integral in terms of gamma functions?

To express an integral in terms of gamma functions, you can use the definition of the gamma function and make appropriate substitutions to rewrite the integral. You can also use certain properties and identities of the gamma function to simplify the expression.

4. Can all integrals be expressed in terms of gamma functions?

No, not all integrals can be expressed in terms of gamma functions. Only integrals that have a form that can be rewritten in terms of the gamma function can be expressed in this way. For example, integrals involving trigonometric functions or logarithmic functions cannot be expressed in terms of gamma functions.

5. Are there any applications of expressing integrals in terms of gamma functions?

Yes, there are many applications of expressing integrals in terms of gamma functions. Some examples include solving differential equations in physics and engineering, evaluating complex integrals in mathematics, and calculating probabilities in statistics and probability theory.

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