Dilogarithm

Summary

In mathematics, the dilogarithm (or Spence's function), denoted as Li2(z), is a particular case of the polylogarithm. Two related special functions are referred to as Spence's function, the dilogarithm itself:

The dilogarithm along the real axis

and its reflection. For |z| < 1, an infinite series also applies (the integral definition constitutes its analytical extension to the complex plane):

Alternatively, the dilogarithm function is sometimes defined as

In hyperbolic geometry the dilogarithm can be used to compute the volume of an ideal simplex. Specifically, a simplex whose vertices have cross ratio z has hyperbolic volume

The function D(z) is sometimes called the Bloch-Wigner function.[1] Lobachevsky's function and Clausen's function are closely related functions.

William Spence, after whom the function was named by early writers in the field, was a Scottish mathematician working in the early nineteenth century.[2] He was at school with John Galt,[3] who later wrote a biographical essay on Spence.

Analytic structure edit

Using the former definition above, the dilogarithm function is analytic everywhere on the complex plane except at  , where it has a logarithmic branch point. The standard choice of branch cut is along the positive real axis  . However, the function is continuous at the branch point and takes on the value  .

Identities edit

 [4]
 [5]
 [4]
 [5]
 [4]

Particular value identities edit

 [5]
 [5]
 [5]
  [5]
 [5]
 

Special values edit

 
 
 
  where   is the Riemann zeta function.
 
 
 
 
 

In particle physics edit

Spence's Function is commonly encountered in particle physics while calculating radiative corrections. In this context, the function is often defined with an absolute value inside the logarithm:

 

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Zagier p. 10
  2. ^ "William Spence - Biography".
  3. ^ "Biography – GALT, JOHN – Volume VII (1836-1850) – Dictionary of Canadian Biography".
  4. ^ a b c Zagier
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Weisstein, Eric W. "Dilogarithm". MathWorld.

References edit

  • Lewin, L. (1958). Dilogarithms and associated functions. Foreword by J. C. P. Miller. London: Macdonald. MR 0105524.
  • Morris, Robert (1979). "The dilogarithm function of a real argument". Math. Comp. 33 (146): 778–787. doi:10.1090/S0025-5718-1979-0521291-X. MR 0521291.
  • Loxton, J. H. (1984). "Special values of the dilogarithm". Acta Arith. 18 (2): 155–166. doi:10.4064/aa-43-2-155-166. MR 0736728.
  • Kirillov, Anatol N. (1995). "Dilogarithm identities". Progress of Theoretical Physics Supplement. 118: 61–142. arXiv:hep-th/9408113. Bibcode:1995PThPS.118...61K. doi:10.1143/PTPS.118.61. S2CID 119177149.
  • Osacar, Carlos; Palacian, Jesus; Palacios, Manuel (1995). "Numerical evaluation of the dilogarithm of complex argument". Celest. Mech. Dyn. Astron. 62 (1): 93–98. Bibcode:1995CeMDA..62...93O. doi:10.1007/BF00692071. S2CID 121304484.
  • Zagier, Don (2007). "The Dilogarithm Function". In Pierre Cartier; Pierre Moussa; Bernard Julia; Pierre Vanhove (eds.). Frontiers in Number Theory, Physics, and Geometry II (PDF). pp. 3–65. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-30308-4_1. ISBN 978-3-540-30308-4.

Further reading edit

External links edit