APPENDIX B

Associated Legendre Functions

The associated Legendre equation is [3]:

 

1 d
dy
m2
sin

vv 1 2 y 0
sin
d

d

sin

B1

For spherical coordinates and spherical cavities, we have the case where n is an integer
n and u has the range, 0 
 p. In this case, the two independent solutions of (B1) are
the associated Legendre functions [25] of the first kind Pm
n cos
and the second kind
m
Qm
cos

.
Since
Q
is
singular
at
cos

1,
it
is
not
useful
for describing fields in
n
n
spherical cavities. Hence, from here on we will consider only Pm
n.
Equation (B1) can be put into another useful form by making the substitution,
u cos
. The equivalent result is:


d2 y
dy
m2
nn 1
1u 2 2u
y0
du
du
1u2
2

B2

Consider first the case, m 0, where (B2) reduces to the ordinary Legendre equation:
1u2

d2 y
dy
nn 1y 0
2u
2
du
du

B3

The solutions to (B3) that are finite over the range, 1  u  1, are the Legendre
polynomials Pn u, which can be written as a finite sum [3]:
Pn u

L
X
1l 2n2l! n2l
u
;
2n l!nl!n2l!
l0

B4

where L n=2 or n1=2, whichever is an integer. An alternative expression for

the Legendre polynomials is given by Rodrigues formula:
Pn u

1 dn 2
u 1n
2 n! dun
n

B5

Electromagnetic Fields in Cavities: Deterministic and Statistical Theories, by David A. Hill

Copyright 2009 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

237

238

APPENDIX B: ASSOCIATED LEGENDRE FUNCTIONS

The five-lowest order Legendre polynomials are:

P0 u 1;
P1 u u;
1
P2 u 3u2 1;
2
1
P3 u 5u3 3u;
2
1
P4 u 35u4 30u2 3
8

B6

Equation (B6) can also be written in terms of u [3]:

P0 cos
1;
P1 cos
cos
;
1
P2 cos
3 cos 2
1;
4
1
P3 cos
5 cos 3
3 cos
;
8
1
P4 cos
35 cos 4
20 cos 2
9
64

B7

Solutions to the associated Legendre equation (B2) can be obtained by differentiating the Legendre polynomials:
m
2 m=2
Pm
n u 1 1u

dm Pn u
dum

B8

0
For m > n, Pm
n u 0. Also, Pn u Pn u. Lower-order associated Legendre
functions through n 3 are:

P11 u 1u2 1=2 ;

P12 u 31u2 1=2 u;
P22 u 31u2 ;
3
P13 u 1u2 1=2 15u2 ;
2

B9

P23 u 151u2 u
P33 u 151u2 3=2
A useful way to calculate a large number of associated Legendre functions is via
recurrence relations. A recurrence formula in n is [3]:
m
m
mn1Pm
n 1 u 2n 1uPn um nPn1 u 0

B10

APPENDIX B: ASSOCIATED LEGENDRE FUNCTIONS

239

A recurrence formula in m is:

1
u
Pm
n

2mu
1u2 1=2

m1
Pm
u 0
n u m nnm 1Pn

B11

Some formulas also exist for derivatives with respect to the argument:

1 
m
nuPm
n u n mPn1 u
1u2

1 
m

n 1uPm
n unm 1Pn 1 u
1u2

Pm0
n u

mu m
n mnm 1 m1
Pn u
Pn u
2
1u
1u2 1=2
mu m
1
P u
Pm 1

1=2 n
2
1u2 n
1u

B12

The recurrence formulas in (B10) and (B11) and the derivative formulas in (B12) also
apply to the associated Legendre functions of the second kind.