Bessel Functions

1. Use the method of Frobenius to show that a second solution of the

Bessel’s equation

x2 y 00 (x) + xy 0 (x) + x2 y(x) = 0 (1)

(−1)n x 2n
of order 0 that is linearly independent of J0 (x) = ∞
P

n=0 (n!)2 2 is
given by
∞
X (−1)n−1 hn  x 2n
y2 (x) = J0 (x) ln x +
(n!)2 2
n=1

where hn = 1 + 12 + 13 + · · · + n1 .
 

Proof: The desired solution must have the form

∞
X
y2 (x) = J0 (x) ln x + An x n .
n=1

Now, we substitute y2 and its derivatives

∞
J0 (x) X
y20 (x) = J00 (x) ln x + + nAn xn−1
x
n=1
∞
2J 0 (x) J0 (x) X
y200 (x) = J000 (x) ln x + 0 − + n(n − 1)An xn−2 .
x x2
n=1

into the Bessel’s equation 1 to obtain

∞
X ∞
X ∞
X
2J00 + n(n − 1)An x n−1
+ nAn x n−1
+ An xn+1 = 0,
n=1 n=1 n=1

where we have used the fact J0 is a solution of 1. In the above equation,

we use the series
∞ ∞
X (−1)n 2n x2n−1 X (−1)n x2n−1
J00 (x) = =
22n (n!)2 22n−1 (n!)(n − 1)!
n=1 n=1

1
 to obtain
∞ ∞ ∞
X (−1)n x2n−1 X
2 n−1
X
+ n A n x + An xn+1 = 0.
22n−2 n!(n − 1)!
n=1 n=1 n=1

Equating the coefficients to zero, we get

A1 = A3 = A5 = · · · = A2n+1 = 0,
1 (−1)n+1
A2 = , 2n + (2n + 2)2 A2n+2 + A2n = 0, (n = 1, 2, · · · ).
4 2 (n + 1)! n!
and hence,
(−1)n−1
 
1 1 1
A2n = 1 + + + ··· + , n = 1, 2, · · · .
22n (n!)2 2 3 n
(−1)n−1
 
1 1 1
= hn , where hn = 1 + + + · · · + .
22n (n!)2 2 3 n
P∞ (−1)n−1 2n
Thus, y2 (x) = J0 (x) ln x + n=1 22n (n!)2 hn x . 

2. Prove the following Bessel function identities:

1. d −α J (x)) = −x−α Jα+1 (x).

dx (x α

2. α
x Jα (x) + Jα0 (x) = Jα−1 (x).

3. α
x Jα (x) − Jα0 (x) = Jα+1 (x).

2α
4. Jα−1 (x) + Jα+1 (x) = x Jα (x).

5. Jα−1 (x) − Jα+1 (x) = 2Jα0 (x).

Proof: 1.
(∞ )
d d X (−1)k  x 2k
x−α Jα (x) = 2−α


dx dx k!Γ(α + k + 1) 2
k=0
∞
−α
X (−1)k  x 2k−1
=2
(k − 1)!Γ(α + k + 1) 2
k=1

2
 ∞
X (−1)l  x 2l+1
= −2−α putting l = k − 1
l!Γ(α + 1 + l + 1) 2
l=0
∞
X (−1)l  x 2l+α+1
= −x−α = −x−α Jα+1 (x).
l!Γ(α + 1 + l + 1) 2
l=0

2. We know from a previously proved identity that

d
(xα Jα (x)) = xα Jα−1 (x).
dx
This implies that

xα Jα0 (x) + αxα−1 Jα (x) = xα Jα−1 (x) (∗)

Dividing throughout by xα , we get

α
Jα0 (x) + Jα (x) = Jα−1 (x).
x

3. We get from the identity (1) above that

d −α
(x Jα (x)) = −x−α Jα+1 (x).
dx
This implies that

x−α Jα0 (x) − αx−α−1 Jα (x) = −x−α Jα+1 (x). (∗∗)

Dividing throughout by x−α , we get

α
Jα0 (x) − Jα (x) = −Jα+1 (x).
x
Dividing throughout by −1 gives the required identity.
4. Multiplying (∗∗) by xα and (∗) by x−α and subtracting, we get
2α
Jα (x) = Jα+1 (x) + Jα−1 (x).
x

5. Multiplying (∗∗) by xα and (∗) by x−α and adding, we get

2Jα0 (x) = Jα−1 (x) − Jα+1 (x).