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    A Brief Introduction to Theta Functions
    A Brief Introduction to Theta Functions
    A Brief Introduction to Theta Functions
    Ebook161 pages46 minutes

    A Brief Introduction to Theta Functions

    By Richard Bellman

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    About this ebook

    Brief but intriguing, this monograph on the theory of elliptic functions was written by one of America's most prominent and widely read mathematicians. Richard Bellman encompasses a wealth of material in a succession of short chapters, spotlighting high points of the fundamental regions of elliptic functions and illustrating powerful and versatile analytic methods.
    Suitable for advanced undergraduates and graduate students in mathematics, this introductory treatment is largely self-contained. Topics include Fourier series, sufficient conditions, the Laplace transform, results of Doetsch and Kober-Erdelyi, Gaussian sums, and Euler's formulas and functional equations. Additional subjects include partial fractions, mock theta functions, Hermite's method, convergence proof, elementary functional relations, multidimensional Poisson summation formula, the modular transformation, and many other areas.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherDover Publications
    Release dateNov 5, 2013
    ISBN9780486782836
    A Brief Introduction to Theta Functions
    Author

    Richard Bellman

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      Book preview

      A Brief Introduction to Theta Functions - Richard Bellman

      A Brief Introduction to

      Theta Functions

      Richard Bellman

      Dover Publications, Inc.

      Mineola, New York

      Bibliographical Note

      This Dover edition, first published in 2013, is an unabridged republication of the work originally published in Athena Series: Selected Topics in Mathematics by Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New York, in 1961.

      Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

      Bellman, Richard, 1920–1984.

      A brief introduction to theta functions / Richard Bellman.—Dover edition.

            pages cm.

      Originally published: New York : Rinehart and Winston, 1961.

      Includes bibliographical references and index.

      eISBN-13: 978-0-486-78283-6

      1. Functions, Theta. I. Title.

      QA345.B4 2013

      515’.984—dc23

      2013021297

      Manufactured in the United States by Courier Corporation

      49295801   2013

      www.doverpublications.com

      To devotees

      of analytic number theory

      Foreword

      The theory of elliptic functions is the fairyland of mathematics. The mathematician who once gazes upon this enchanting and wondrous domain crowded with the most beautiful relations and concepts is forever captivated.

      Upon first browsing through this field, observing the numerous links to the theory of functions of a complex variable, to the theory of partial differential equations, to number theory, and even to statistical mechanics, one may be led to feel that it is wholly confined within the domain of analysis. A closer examination will show that the ties with algebra and topology are equally strong, and perhaps, on the most fundamental level, even stronger. Further observation shows that this theory, with its natural extensions—the theory of Abelian functions and modular functions—penetrates into virtually every area of mathematics and indeed requires all of these areas for its fruitful study.

      In this short monograph, we wish to spotlight some of the high points of the fundamental regions and to indicate some of the powerful and versatile analytic methods that can be used to explore this field. Naturally, the choice has been highly subjective, involving results that appear to us to be of singular elegance. What is so magical about this theory is that relations that seem to be utterly unbelievable can be derived quite simply once the proper path is found. The many results from which to choose have all been of such grace and charm that it would be difficult indeed to produce any pedestrian combination.

      We have tried consistently, we hope, to maintain an elementary level. By this, we mean that the text should be intelligible to an upper senior or first-year graduate student familiar with the rudiments of the theory of functions of a complex variable and with the usual manipulations of series and integrals by which the analyst earns his daily bread. Apart from a few classic theorems concerning the uniqueness of Laplace and Fourier transforms, the text is self-contained. These few results are of an intuitive nature that the student may accept on faith or find in standard books (which, of course, constitutes another form of acceptance on faith). A number of references are given to enable the interested reader to pursue any branch of the subject in depth.

      I wish to express my gratitude to L. Mordell and S. Lehman who read the manuscript through and made a number of very helpful comments and suggestions, to express my thanks to P. Lax for some encouraging remarks, and to thank E. Hewitt and J. Lehner for much detailed and useful criticism.

      R. B.

      Santa Monica, California

      April, 1961

      Contents

      1.  Introduction

      2.  The Four Types of Theta Functions

      3.  Fundamental Domain

      4.  First Basic Result

      5.  Fourier Series

      6.  The Poisson Summation Formula

      7.  Some Simple Sufficient Conditions

      8.  An Infinite Integral

      9.  The Transformation Formula for θ3(z, t)

      10.  Numerical Application

      11.  Modular Functions and Eisenstein Series

      12.  The Constant c

      13.  The Heat Equation

      14.  Formal Derivation of Theorem 1

      15.  The Laplace Transform

      16.  Another Infinite Integral

      17.  The Transformed Transformation Formula

      18.  Infinite Products and By-products

      19.  The General Theta Function Transformation

      20.  Some Results of Doetsch

      21.  Results of Kober-Erdelyi

      22.  The Mellin Transform

      23.  An Application of the Mellin Transform

      24.  The Riemann Zeta Function

      25.  An Alternate Form of the Functional Equation

      26.  The Riemann Hypothesis

      27.  The Poisson Summation Formula and the Zeta Function

      28.  A More General Case

      29.  Gaussian Sums

      30.  Polya’s Derivation

      31.  Discussion

      32.  A Fundamental Infinite Product

      33.  Zeroes

      34.  Proof of Theorem 6

      36.  A More Interesting Series

      37.  Hermite’s Derivation

      38.  Some Results of Watson

      39.  Eulerian Results

      40.  Euler’s Formulas and Functional Equations

      41.  Partial Fractions

      42.  Mock Theta Functions

      43.  The Mordell Integral

      44.  Some New Types of Relations

      45.  Relations Connecting Squares of Theta Functions

      46.  Addition Formulae

      47.  Landen’s Formula

      48.  The Fundamental Transformation Formula

      49.  Some Results of Schottky

      50.  Functional Equations

      51.  Determination of Theta Functions

      52.  Entire Solutions

      53.  Hermite’s Method

      54.  Statement of Result

      55.  Fundamental Transformation Formula

      56.  Determination of g(t)

      57.  The Infinite Product

      58.  Linear Space of Solutions

      59.  Relations Connecting Squares

      60.  Addition Formula

      61.  Multidimensional Theta Functions

      62.  Vector-matrix Notation

      63.  Convergence Proof

      64.  Elementary Functional Relations

      65.  Multidimensional Fourier Series

      66.  Multidimensional Poisson Summation Formula

      67.  An Infinite Integral

      68.  Evaluation of f∞ ∫∞e−(y,Ty) dy

      69.  The Modular Transformation

      70.  Generalizations and Particularizations

      Index

      A Brief Introduction to

      Theta Functions

      1.  Introduction

      Let us begin by introducing the functions whose many properties we shall study. Consider the function of z defined by the infinite series

      Here z is a complex variable, permitted to assume any value, while t is a complex

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