Legendre Functions

Legendre Functions

Author(s): Vasudevan Lakshminarayanan, L. Srinivasa Varadharajan

Published: 2015

https://doi.org/10.1117/3.2207310.ch10

Abstract

Legendre functions, also known as Legendre polynomials, occur in a number of different areas of physics where spherical geometry is used. In particular, these polynomials are used in problems involving a central potential (such as electrostatics, gravitation, etc.). Adrien Marie Legendre (1752–1833) developed the gravitation potential (see Sec. 10.3.1) in a series involving distance.