Consider the rescaled complementary error function:
$$ \mathrm{erfcx}(z) = {e^{z^2}} \left( {1-\mathrm{erf}(z)} \right) $$
$z \in \Bbb{C}$
which also has the following integral representation: $$ \mathrm{erfcx}(z) = -{\frac{i}{\sqrt{\pi}}}\int {\frac{e^{-t^2}}{t-iz} dt} $$
- What is the correct decomposition into real and imaginary parts? Are they related to other known functions?
- What are the symmetries of this function?
- Estimate $\mathrm{erfcx}(z) - \mathrm{erfcx}(z^*)$ ($z^*$ denoting complex conjugation)
- Does $\mathrm{erfcx}(z) - \mathrm{erfcx}(z^*)$ have any notable properties? What are its stationary points (e.g. along lines parallel to the real axis)?
- Can anyone suggest possible routes for graphing the real and imaginary parts of this function?
Motivation
The complementary error function appears in the solution of a transport problem that I am trying to solve - I have exposed it to some detail here. I hope that the study of this function will enable the suitability of my solution for the required application.
Here are my attempts to solve these questions - I believe I have made some progress, but they are incomplete.
1.
It is worth noting that $\mathrm{erfcx}(z)=w(iz)$ where $w(z)$ is the Faddeeva function. Therefore, the properties of $\mathrm{erfcx}(z)$ should follow trivially from that relation (as they are given, for example in Abramowitz & Stegun). However, I do find in the literature the restriction of many of the properties to the upper half of the imaginary plane, but as I would like to see if such restrictions can be avoided I shall state the more salient ones explicitly.
Let $z = \alpha + i \beta$; $\alpha , \beta \in \Bbb{R}$. Then
$$ \mathrm{erfcx}(z) = u(\alpha,\beta)+ i\ v(\alpha,\beta)= $$ $$ e^{\alpha^2 -\beta^2} \left[ \cos{(2\alpha\beta)}(1 - \Re[\mathrm{erf}z]) + \sin{(2\alpha\beta)}\Im[\mathrm{erf}z] \right] -i\ e^{\alpha^2 -\beta^2} \left[ \cos{(2\alpha\beta)}\Im[\mathrm{erf}z] + \sin{(2\alpha\beta)}(1 - \Re[\mathrm{erf}z]) \right] $$
which (taking $\Re[\mathrm{erf}z]$ to be odd wrt $\alpha$ and even wrt $\beta$ and conversely $\Im[\mathrm{erf}z]$ even wrt $\alpha$ and odd wrt $\beta$ - if I am not terribly mistaken) implies $u(\alpha,\beta)=u(\alpha,-\beta)$ and $v(\alpha,\beta)=-v(\alpha,-\beta)$.
As the Faddeeva function $w(z)$ is decomposed to (real and imaginary) Voigt functions
$$ w(p + iq) = U(p,q)+i\ V(p,q) $$
one is tempted to write $u(\alpha,\beta)=U(-\beta, \alpha)$ and $v(\alpha,\beta)=V(-\beta, \alpha)$
But does this relation hold $\forall \alpha , \beta \in \Bbb{R}$? Moreover, are there calculation methods $v$ and $u$ and relations to other commonly used special functions? With appropriate scaling, for $\alpha>0$ $U$ is related to the Voigt profile; for $\alpha=0$, $V$ is related to Dawson's integral $\sqrt{\pi/4}{e^{-x^2}\mathrm{erfi}(x)}$. But can a more generalised representation be found, valid for all $z$?
2.
$u$ has even parity wrt $\beta$ and $v$ is odd wrt $\beta$. The symmetries of $w(z)$ would be expected to hold for $\mathrm{erfcx}(z)$ as well.
3.
$$ \mathrm{erfcx}(z) - \mathrm{erfcx}(z^*) = 2 i \ v = -2i\ e^{\alpha^2 -\beta^2} \left( \cos{(2\alpha\beta}\Im[\mathrm{erf}z] + \sin{2\alpha\beta}(1- \Re[\mathrm{erf}z]) \right) $$
showing that this difference is purely imaginary. But a way to calculate this wouldbe useful.
4.
I have not yet looked into this problem in any particular detail; the ODE representation of $w$ and the associated recurrence relations will probably be of use here.
5.
I have found a number of C libraries for complex error functions (e.g. here , which includes a short bibliography for the calculation). I am in the process of implementing them; but if there are other quidirty hacks for estimating the imaginary and real parts of $\mathrm{erfcx}(z)$ I would be very glad to hear about them.
Addendum
As the expressions I obtain for $\Re[\mathrm{erf}(\alpha + i \beta)]$ and $\Im[\mathrm{erf}(\alpha + i \beta)]$ are long-winded (and often encountered in the relevant literature) I shall append them here.
(a) Migrating along the real axis to $z=\alpha$ and then up to $z=\alpha + i\beta$ $$ \mathrm{erf}(\alpha + i \beta) = \sqrt{\frac{4}{\pi}}\int _{0}^{\alpha}{e^{-t^2} dt} + i \sqrt{\frac{4}{\pi}}\int _{0}^{\beta}{e^{-(\alpha+ i \ t)^2} dt} = $$ $$ \mathrm{erf}(\alpha) + \sqrt{\frac{4}{\pi}} e^{-\alpha^2} \int _{0}^{\beta}{e^{t^2} \sin{(2\alpha t)} dt} + i \sqrt{\frac{4}{\pi}} e^{-\alpha^2} \int _{0}^{\beta}{e^{t^2} \cos{(2\alpha t)} dt} $$ (b) Migrating along the imaginary axis to $z=i\beta$ and then parallel to the real axis to $z=\alpha + i\beta$ $$ \mathrm{erf}(\alpha + i \beta) = i\sqrt{\frac{4}{\pi}}\int _{0}^{\beta}{e^{t^2} dt} + \sqrt{\frac{4}{\pi}}\int _{0}^{\alpha}{e^{-(t + i \beta)^2} dt} = $$ $$ \sqrt{\frac{4}{\pi}} e^{\beta^2} \int _{0}^{\alpha}{e^{-t^2} \cos{2 \beta t} dt} + i\sqrt{\frac{4}{\pi}} e^{\beta^2} \int _{0}^{\alpha}{e^{-t^2} \sin{2 \beta t} dt} + i\ \mathrm{erfi}(\beta) $$
I find the occurrence of definite integrals of the form$ \int _{0}^{\kappa}{e^{\pm t^2} \cos{2 \lambda t} dt}$ and $ \int _{0}^{\kappa}{e^{\pm t^2} \sin{2 \lambda t} dt}$ quite suggestive, esp. when seen e.g. in conjunction with an integral representation of Dawson’s function:
$$ D_{+} (\chi)= \int_{0}^{\infty}{e^{-t^2} \sin{2 \chi t} dt} $$
Is the presence of such formulae, which resemble the sine and cosine transforms of the Gaussian coincindental? If not, can it be somehow exploited?
(Apologies for the long question – but at least I will not be accused of not being thorough.)