Math 2.0

Special functions Hypergeometric functions Concept

Monodromy of the hypergeometric equation

Summary

The monodromy of the hypergeometric differential equation records how a basis of solutions changes under analytic continuation along closed loops. The loops go around the singular points 00, 11 and ∞\infty. It is a representation of the fundamental group of the thrice-punctured sphere, a free group on two generators, into GL2(ℂ)\mathrm{GL}_2(\C). It is the special case of monodromy that Riemann used to study the hypergeometric function. It decides, for example, when all solutions are algebraic functions.

Going deeper

For a student

The local monodromy around each singular point has eigenvalues e2πiρe^{2\pi i \rho}, where ρ\rho runs over the two exponents at that point. The monodromy is irreducible exactly when none of aa, bb, c−ac - a, c−bc - b is an integer. In the irreducible case, the representation is determined up to conjugacy by the three pairs of local eigenvalues, a fact known as rigidity. Finite monodromy groups give algebraic solutions, and these are classified by Schwarz's list.

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Further reading

  1. Web https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypergeometric_function
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