B3.19

Methods of Mathematical Physics
Part II, 2002

Show that the equation

zw+w+(λz)w=0z w^{\prime \prime}+w^{\prime}+(\lambda-z) w=0

has solutions of the form

w(z)=γ(t1)(λ1)/2(t+1)(λ+1)/2eztdtw(z)=\int_{\gamma}(t-1)^{(\lambda-1) / 2}(t+1)^{-(\lambda+1) / 2} e^{z t} d t

Give examples of possible choices of γ\gamma to provide two independent solutions, assuming Re(z)>0\operatorname{Re}(z)>0. Distinguish between the cases Reλ>1\operatorname{Re} \lambda>-1 and Reλ<1\operatorname{Re} \lambda<1. Comment on the case 1<Reλ<1-1<\operatorname{Re} \lambda<1 and on the case that λ\lambda is an odd integer.

Show that, if Reλ<1\operatorname{Re} \lambda<1, there is a solution w1(z)w_{1}(z) that is bounded as z+z \rightarrow+\infty, and that, in this limit,

w1(z)Aezz(λ1)/2(1(1λ)28z),w_{1}(z) \sim A e^{-z} z^{(\lambda-1) / 2}\left(1-\frac{(1-\lambda)^{2}}{8 z}\right),

where AA is a constant.