Higher Special Functions

Wolfgang Lay is Privatdozent at the Universität Stuttgart and Actuary at the Allianz Group. His research focuses on special functions. He has spent time at the Universities of Oxford and Bristol and at the Euler International Mathematical Institute in St. Petersburg. He co-authored the book 'Special Functions: A Unified Theory based on Singularities' (2000) with S. Yu. Slavyanov.

• 1. Introduction; 2. Singularities in action; 3. Fuchsian differential equations: the cornerstones; 4. Central two-point connection problems and higher special functions; 5. Applications and examples; 6. Afterword; A. Standard central two-point connection problem; B. Curriculum vitae of George Cecil Jaffé; References; Index.

'This comprehensive treatise builds the theory of second-order linear ordinary differential equations in terms of the zeros of their leading coefficient. Beyond the functions of hypergeometric class is relatively unexplored territory: the 'higher special functions'. Lay's approach is deeply scholarly, and grounded in applications to dislocations and quantum theory.' Michael Berry, University of Bristol