Airy function

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Airy function
In the physical sciences, the Airy function Ai(x) is a special function named after the British astronomer George
Biddell Airy (180192). The function Ai(x) and the related function Bi(x), which is also called the Airy function,
but sometimes referred to as the Bairy function, are solutions to the differential equation
known as the Airy equation or the Stokes equation. This is the simplest second-order linear differential equation
with a turning point (a point where the character of the solutions changes from oscillatory to exponential).
The Airy function is the solution to Schrdinger's equation for a particle confined within a triangular potential well
and for a particle in a one-dimensional constant force field. For the same reason, it also serves to provide uniform
semiclassical approximations near a turning point in the WKB method, when the potential may be locally
approximated by a linear function of position. The triangular potential well solution is directly relevant for the
understanding of many semiconductor devices.
The Airy function also underlies the form of the intensity near an optical directional caustic, such as that of the
rainbow. Historically, this was the mathematical problem that led Airy to develop this special function. The Airy
function is also important in microscopy and astronomy; it describes the pattern, due to diffraction and interference,
produced by a point source of light (one which is smaller than the resolution limit of a microscope or telescope).
Definitions
Plot of Ai(x) in red and Bi(x) in blue
For real values of x, the Airy function
can be defined by the improper
Riemann integral:
which converges because the positive and negative parts of the rapid oscillations tend to cancel one another out (as
can be checked by integration by parts).
y = Ai(x) satisfies the differential equation
This equation has two linearly independent solutions. The standard choice for the other solution is the Airy function
of the second kind, denoted Bi(x). It is defined as the solution with the same amplitude of oscillation as Ai(x) as x
which differs in phase by /2:
Airy function
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Properties
The values of Ai(x) and Bi(x) and their derivatives at x = 0 are given by
Here, denotes the Gamma function. It follows that the Wronskian of Ai(x) and Bi(x) is 1/.
When x is positive, Ai(x) is positive, convex, and decreasing exponentially to zero, while Bi(x) is positive, convex,
and increasing exponentially. When x is negative, Ai(x) and Bi(x) oscillate around zero with ever-increasing
frequency and ever-decreasing amplitude. This is supported by the asymptotic formulae below for the Airy
functions.
The Airy functions are orthogonal
[1]
in the sense that
again using an improper Riemann integral.
Asymptotic formulae
As explained below, the Airy functions can be extended to the complex plane, giving entire functions. The
asymptotic behaviour of the Airy functions as |z| goes to infinity at a constant value of arg(z) depends on arg(z). For
|arg(z)| < we have the following asymptotic formula for Ai(z):
[2]
and a similar one for Bi(z), but only applicable when |arg(z)| < /3:
A more accurate formula for Ai(z) and a formula for Bi(z) when /3 < |arg(z)| < or, equivalently, for Ai(z) and
Bi(z) when |arg(z)| < 2/3 but not zero, are:
[3]
When |arg(z)| = 0 these are good approximations but are not asymptotic because the ratio between Ai(z) or Bi(z)
and the above approximation goes to infinity whenever the sine or cosine goes to zero. Asymptotic expansions for
these limits are also available. These are listed in (Abramowitz and Stegun, 1954) and (Olver, 1974).
Airy function
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Complex arguments
We can extend the definition of the Airy function to the complex plane by
where the integral is over a path C starting at the point at infinity with argument /2 and ending at the point at
infinity with argument /2. Alternatively, we can use the differential equation y xy = 0 to extend Ai(x) and Bi(x)
to entire functions on the complex plane.
The asymptotic formula for Ai(x) is still valid in the complex plane if the principal value of x
2/3
is taken and x is
bounded away from the negative real axis. The formula for Bi(x) is valid provided x is in the sector {x C : |arg(x)|
< (/3)} for some positive . Finally, the formulae for Ai(x) and Bi(x) are valid if x is in the sector {x C :
|arg(x)| < (2/3)}.
It follows from the asymptotic behaviour of the Airy functions that both Ai(x) and Bi(x) have an infinity of zeros on
the negative real axis. The function Ai(x) has no other zeros in the complex plane, while the function Bi(x) also has
infinitely many zeros in the sector {z C : /3 < |arg(z)| < /2}.
Plots
Relation to other special functions
For positive arguments, the Airy functions are related to the modified Bessel functions:
Here, I
1/3
and K
1/3
are solutions of
Airy function
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The first derivative of Airy function is
Functions K
1/3
and K
2/3
can be represented in terms of rapidly converged integrals
[4]
(see also modified Bessel
functions )
For negative arguments, the Airy function are related to the Bessel functions:
Here, J
1/3
are solutions of
The Scorer's functions solve the equation y xy = 1/. They can also be expressed in terms of the Airy functions:
Fourier transform
Using the definition of the Airy function Ai(x), it is straightforward to show its Fourier transform is given by
FabryProt interferometer Airy Function
The transmittance function of a FabryProt interferometer is also referred to as the Airy Function:
[5]
where both surfaces have reflectance R and
is the coefficient of finesse.
Airy function
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History
The Airy function is named after the British astronomer and physicist George Biddell Airy (18011892), who
encountered it in his early study of optics in physics (Airy 1838). The notation Ai(x) was introduced by Harold
Jeffreys. Airy had become the British Astronomer Royal in 1835, and he held that post until his retirement in 1881.
Notes
[1] David E. Aspnes, Physical Review, 147, 554 (1966)
[2] [2] , Eqns 10.4.59 and 10.4.63
[3] [3] , Eqns 10.4.60 and 10.4.64
[4] [4] M.Kh.Khokonov. Cascade Processes of Energy Loss by Emission of Hard Photons // JETP, V.99, No.4, pp. 690-707 \ (2004).
[5] [5] Sect. 9.6
References
Abramowitz, Milton; Stegun, Irene A., eds. (1965), "Chapter 10" (http:/ / www. math. sfu. ca/ ~cbm/ aands/
page_446. htm), Handbook of Mathematical Functions with Formulas, Graphs, and Mathematical Tables, New
York: Dover, p.446, ISBN978-0486612720, MR 0167642 (http:/ / www. ams. org/
mathscinet-getitem?mr=0167642).
Airy (1838), "On the intensity of light in the neighbourhood of a caustic" (http:/ / books. google. com/
?id=-yI8AAAAMAAJ& dq=Transactions+ of+ the+ Cambridge+ Philosophical+ Society+ 1838), Transactions of
the Cambridge Philosophical Society (University Press) 6: 379402
Olver (1974). Asymptotics and Special Functions, Chapter11. Academic Press, New York.
Press, WH; Teukolsky, SA; Vetterling, WT; Flannery, BP (2007), "Section 6.6.3. Airy Functions" (http:/ / apps.
nrbook. com/ empanel/ index.html#pg=289), Numerical Recipes: The Art of Scientific Computing (3rd ed.), New
York: Cambridge University Press, ISBN978-0-521-88068-8
Valle, Olivier; Soares, Manuel (2004), Airy functions and applications to physics (http:/ / www. worldscibooks.
com/ physics/ p345. html), London: Imperial College Press, ISBN978-1-86094-478-9, MR 2114198 (http:/ /
www. ams. org/ mathscinet-getitem?mr=2114198)
External links
Hazewinkel, Michiel, ed. (2001), "Airy functions" (http:/ / www. encyclopediaofmath. org/ index. php?title=p/
a011210), Encyclopedia of Mathematics, Springer, ISBN978-1-55608-010-4
Weisstein, Eric W., " Airy Functions (http:/ / mathworld. wolfram. com/ AiryFunctions. html)", MathWorld.
Wolfram function pages for Ai (http:/ / functions. wolfram. com/ Bessel-TypeFunctions/ AiryAi/ ) and Bi (http:/ /
functions. wolfram. com/ Bessel-TypeFunctions/ AiryBi/ ) functions. Includes formulas, function evaluator, and
plotting calculator.
Olver, F. W. J. (2010), "Airy and related functions" (http:/ / dlmf. nist. gov/ 9), in Olver, Frank W. J.; Lozier,
Daniel M.; Boisvert, Ronald F. et al., NIST Handbook of Mathematical Functions, Cambridge University Press,
ISBN978-0521192255, MR 2723248 (http:/ / www. ams. org/ mathscinet-getitem?mr=2723248)
|displayeditors= suggested (help)
Article Sources and Contributors
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