Kelvin function

English

Etymology

Named after William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin.

Noun

Kelvin function (plural Kelvin functions)

1. (mathematics) Any of class of special functions, usually denoted as two pairs of functions ber_n(x), bei_n(x), ker_n(x) and kei_n(x) with variable x and given order number n. The former two functions ber_n(x) and bei_n(x) respectively correspond to the real part and the imaginary part of the Kelvin differential equation's solution that can be expressed with the Bessel function of the first kind J_n(x), and the latter ker_n(x) and kei_n(x) correspond to those that can be expressed with the modified Bessel function of the second kind K_n(x).

Related terms

• Kelvin differential equation

References

• Mathematical Curves, Bessel function
• Weisstein, Eric W. "Kelvin Functions." From MathWorld--A Wolfram Web Resource.