First, some background.
I. One-Parameter forms
The Bring-Jerrard quintic, $x^5+x+\alpha=0,$ has a solution as,
$$x = -\alpha\sum_{k=0}^\infty(-1)^k\frac{(5k)!}{k!(4k+1)!}\;\alpha^{4k}$$
This series has a narrow radius of convergence, namely $|\alpha|<\left(\frac{4^4}{5^5}\right)^{1/4}\approx 0.53$. But it can be extended via analytic continuation using the generalized hypergeometric function ${_pF_q},$
$$x = -\alpha\,{_4F_3}\Big(\frac15,\frac25,\frac35,\frac45;\,\frac24,\frac34,\frac54;\,-\frac{5^5}{4^4}\alpha^4\Big)$$
for more general $\alpha$, thus solving the general quintic.
II. Two-Parameter forms
The quintic and sextic two-parameter equations,
$$By^5+Ay^2+y+1 = 0$$ $$Bz^6+Az^2+z+1 = 0$$
can be solved as,
$$y = -\sum_{j=0}^\infty \sum_{k=0}^\infty (-1)^k \frac{(2j+5k)!}{j!k!(j+4k+1)!}\;A^j B^k$$
$$z = -\sum_{j=0}^\infty \sum_{k=0}^\infty (+1)^k \frac{(2j+6k)!}{j!k! (j + 5 k + 1)!}\; A^j B^k$$
with the quintic root $y$ by Passare and Tsikh in this paper, and the sextic root $z$ by Robert Israel in this old MSE answer. The second equation is just the general sextic in disguise since the general sextic can be reduced to the form,
$$z^6+z^2+\alpha z+\beta =0$$
Unfortunately, R. Israel's solution $z$ also has a narrow radius of convergence. So we are seeking an analytic continuation such that it will be valid for more general $(A,B)$ thus solving the general sextic.
III. Questions
- If the analytic continuation for the quintic $x$ involves the one-parameter generalized hypergeometric function, does the analytic continuation for R. Israel's sextic $z$ involve the two-parameter Kampé de Fériet function?
- Or is it some other two-parameter function, maybe like the Appell series, Humbert series, etc?
- The Kampé de Fériet function can solve the general sextic in its reduced form. In Mathematica syntax, what would be the input to solve, for example, $z^6+z^2+3z+2=0$?
The asker wanted an analytic continuation, so we apply @Richard Stanley’s method in “Series solution for general trinomial” with Lagrange reversion:
$$\begin{align}z^6+z^2+az+b=0\implies z_k=e^\frac{(2k+1)\pi i }6(z^2+az+b)^\frac16=\omega_k(z-p)^\frac16(z-q)^\frac16=\sum_{n=1}^\infty\frac{\omega_k^n}{n!}\left.\frac{d^{n-1}}{dz^{n-1}}(z-p)^\frac n6(z-q)^\frac n6\right|_0,k=0,\dots ,6\end{align}$$
General Leibniz rule uses factorial power $n^{(m)}$:
$$\left.\frac{d^{n-1}}{dz^{n-1}}(z-p)^\frac n6(z-q)^\frac n6\right|_0=\sum_{m=0}^{n-1}\binom{n-1}m\left(\frac n6\right)^{(n-m-1)}\left(\frac n6\right)^{(m)}(-p)^{m-\frac{5n}6+1}(-q)^{\frac n6-m}$$
Summing over $m$ presents a regularized Gauss hypergeometric function ${_2\tilde{\text F}_1}$:
$$\bbox[2.5px,border:5px groove blue]{\begin{align} &z^6+z^2+az+b=0\implies \\ z_k &=\sum_{n=1}^\infty\sum_{m=0}^{n-1}e^\frac{(2k+1)\pi i n}6\frac{\left(\frac n6\right)!^2 (-p)^{m-\frac{5n}6+1}(-q)^{\frac n6-m}}{\left(m-\frac{5n}6+1\right)!\left(\frac n6-m\right)!\Gamma(n-m)m!n}\\ &=\sum_{n=1}^\infty\frac{\left(\frac n6\right)!}{n!}\,e^\frac{(2k+1)\pi i n}6(-p)^{1-\frac{5n}6}(-q)^\frac n6\,_2\tilde{\text F}_1\left(1-n,-\frac n6;2-\frac{5n}6;\frac pq\right)\\ \text{where},\\ p,q&=\frac{-a\pm\sqrt{a^2-4b}}2\end{align}}$$
It is interesting to note the $6n$ terms are $0$. Alternatively, using the hypergeometric function ${_2 F_1}$,
$$z_k=\sum_{n=1}^\infty\frac{\left(\frac n6\right)!}{n!\,\Gamma\big(2-\frac{5n}6\big)}\,e^\frac{(2k+1)\pi i n}6(-p)^{1-\frac{5n}6}(-q)^\frac n6\,{_2 F_1}\left(1-n,-\frac n6;2-\frac{5n}6;\frac pq\right)$$
The example $z^6+z^2+3z+2=z^6+(z+2)(z+1)=0$ cannot be solved with Robert Israel’s series, as $\frac{32}{729}w^6+\frac29 w^2+w+1=0$ where $w=\frac32 z$ is outside the series convergence. However, our series gives all $6$ roots matching the actual roots. The series usually converge for about $|a|,|b|>1$.