A Tutorial on Bessel Functions and

Numerical Evaluation of Bessel Integrals

C. UIUIlk and L. Sevgi
University, Electronics and Communications Engineering Department
Zeamet Sokak 21, Acibadern - Kadikoy, 34722 Istanbul, Turkey
E-mail : culuisik@dogus.edu.tr
Abstract
This paper aims to provide a tutorial on Bessel functions , and especially on the numerical evaluation of Bessel integrals.
Bessel integrals are asymptotically evaluated using high-frequency methods, such as the stationary-phase method, steepest-
descent path evaluations, and uniform asymptotics. Concepts such as saddle points and their contribut ions, and integration
over the steepest paths are emphasized. A MATLAB simulation package, BESSEL_GUI, was prepared to compare each
method with the other , and also with the MATLAB built-in function besselj (u , z) . The tool also allows plotting the
magnitude of the complex integrand of the Bessel integral in three dimensions. The user can thus visualize the locations of
the saddle points and the steepest-decent paths.
Keywords: Bessel functions ; saddle points; contour deformations; stationary phase method; steepest descent path; MATLAB;
graphical user interface; simulation; three-dimensional graphics; visualization; engineering education, numerical analysis
z
Figure 1b. A wedge-shaped waveguide in two dimensions.
y
PEe
__-t- /
x
---
---
---
,---
(p,tp)
Figure la. A ring resonator with rectangular cross section and
the cylindrical coordinates. The resonator is bounded radially,
vertically, and horizontally between a p s b, 0 s z s h, and
os(i 2/T , respectively.
Hankel, Bessel, and Neumann functions reduce to simple expo-
nential and trigonometric functions. The Hankel functions (z)
and ( z) correspond to incident and reflected (progressing)
waves, while the Bessel and Neumann functions correspond to
standing waves.
1. Introduction
Normally, when a Bessel function is said a Bessel function of
the first kind, Ju(z) is automatically meant. Certain physical
problems have solutions in the form of combinations of Bessel
functions that are called Bessel functions of the second or third
kind. The Bessel function of the second kind is also called the
Neumann function, Nu (z) . Bessel functions of the third kind are
also known as Hankel functions, (z) and (z) .
These functions are interrelated: J =(H(l) +H(2) )/2 .
u u u '
Nu = - )/2i . Table I shows that for large arguments z,
Bessel functions are defined as the solutions y (z) of the Bessel
2
differential equation z2 d +Z dy +(z2 _ u
2
) Y = 0 for an
dz dz
arbitrary real or complex number u, where u is the order of the
Bessel function [1-4]. The Bessel equation arises in the solution of
the Helmholtz and Laplace equations in cylindrical (rather than
Cartesian or spherical) coordinates. Bessel functions are therefore
especially important for many physical phenomena of wave propa-
gation and static potentials, including heat conduction or electricity
flow in a solid cylinder, the propagation of electromagnetic waves
in a cylindrical waveguide, diffusion problems on a lattice, the
motions of fluids, the diffraction of light, and the deformations of
elastic bodies. For example, the solutions to the ring resonator with
rectangular cross section in Figure la [5, 6] and the solutions to the
wedge-shaped waveguide in Figure 1b can be obtained in closed
form in terms ofBessel functions [7].
222 IEEEAntennas andPropagation Magazine, Vol. 51, No. 6, December 2009
Table 1. Relationships among the Hankel, Bessel, and
Neumann functions, and the exponential and trigonometric functions.
Hankel
( z)
i
z
Incident
Function
7iZ
Wave
Hankel
(z) e-
i z -i[z-(u+1I2)1T/2]
Reflected
Function
-e
Wave
7iZ
Bessel
J u(z) cos(z)
cos[ z -(u+l/ 2)7i/2]
Function
7iZ Standing
Neumann
sin[z -(u+ l/ 2)7i/2]
Waves
Function
Nu(z) sin( z)
7iZ
Tables of values for Bessel functions can be found in many
fundamental mathematics books [I]. Moreover, Bessel functions
can also be defined by contour integrals. Four different types of
integral representations of Bessel integrals are given in Section 2
[2]. High-frequency asymptotic evaluations of these integrals using
methods such as the stationary-phase method (SPM), steepest-
decent path (SDP) evaluation, and uniform asymptotics (UA) are
given in Section 3. Some important mathematical expressions,
such as saddle points (SP) and contour deformations, are also pre-
sented in Section 3.
A MATLAB-based virtual tool, BESSEL_GUI, is introduced
in Section 4. BESSEL_GUI computes values of the Bessel function
asymptotically using different types of Bessel integrals, and then
compares them with the MATLAB built-in function besselj (u ,
z}, where o is the order and z is the argument. The tool also
allows plotting the magnitude of the complex integrand of the
Im(y)
er
-t----,..---
Re(y)
-1t
Figure 2c. The integration contour for the Type-Ill Bessel inte-
gral representation.
Im(t)
Re(t)
Figure 2a. The integration contour for the Type-I Bessel inte-
gral representation.
-1
Im(w)
1
Re(w)
-n
Im(a)
n Re(a)
Figure 2d. The integration contour for the Type-IV Bessel
integral representation.
Bessel function in three dimensions. The user can thus visualize
locations of the saddle points and also the steepest-decent paths.
BESSEL_GUI can be downloaded from the http://
www3.dogus.edu.tr/lsevgi (or /culuisik) Web site.
2. Integral Representations of
Bessel Functions
Figure 2b. The integration contour for the Type-II Bessel inte-
gral representation.
IEEEAntennasand Propagation Magazine, Vol. 51, No. 6, December 2009
Bessel functions of any complex order u can be represented
as integrals [2] as shown in Equation (I). The integration contour,
C
t
, in Equation (I) is shown in Figure 2a.
223
Transforming the t domain into an a domain, defined as
a = i In(t), the Bessel function can be represented as in Equa-
tion (2) with the integration contour Ca ' shown in Figure 2b:
(
1)
1 O.5z t--
Jv(z)=-. fe t t-V-Idt.
27rl
C
t
(1)
3.1.1 Type I
For the Type I first-kind Bessel integral representation given
in Equation (1), the magnitude and phase functions become
(7a)
r;(z) = _1_ fe-izsin(a)+ivada .
27rC
a
(2)
t-
v
-
l
f(t)=-..
27rl
(7b)
Finally, transforming the a domain into a w domain, defined as
w = sin (a ), the Bessel function can be represented as in Equa-
tion (4) with the integration contour C
w
shown in Figure 2d:
Similarly, transforming the a domain into a r domain, defined as
r = -ia, the Bessel function can be represented as in Equation (3),
with the integration contour C
y
shown in Figure 2c:
Ju ( z)= _1_. fezsinh(y)-vydr .
27rl
C
r
(3)
The stationary points for the Type- I Bessel function Ju ( z) are
found to be tsI =j and ts2 =- j . As shown in Figure 3a, these sta-
tionary points are located symmetrically along the imaginary taxis.
They are isolated and independent of z and v. These stationary
points therefore never coincide for different z and v values.
The contributions of the first stationary point can be com-
puted, using Equation (6), as
(8a)
(4)
"() z - j1f/2
q t
s
l =-3=ze ,
}
(8b)
The contribution of the second stationary point can be computed
using Equation (6) as
3. Asymptotic Evaluations of
Bessel Integrals
3.1 Stationary-Phase Method (SPM)
V+I)]
e 4 2
JV\(z)"" .
27rz
(8c)
The Bessel function can be represented as an integral with the
complex magnitude function f (t) and the complex phase function
q(t) [3]:
The stationary points (SPs) are determined by the zeros of the
derivative of the phase function, q (t), with respect to t. The
stationary-phase method takes into account only the contributions
of the stationary points, and approximates the Bessel function in
terms of the stationary-point contributions as
The Ju ( z) can then be approximated as the superposition of the
two stationary-point contributions, JvI (z) and Jv2 ( z), as
(9a)
(9b)
(9c)
"() z j'1l12
q ts2 = - ( _ j)3 = ze ,
(5)
Jv(z)= feq(t)f(t)dt.
C
(6) J
v(z)=Jv\(z)+Jv2(z)=
(2cos[z+'::'_'::'(V+1)J.
V;; 4 2
(10)
The stationary points for four different types of integral represen-
tations for the first-kind Bessel functions, presented in Section 2,
can be derived, and their contributions can be computed, as fol-
lows.
The Type- I Bessel function of order 0 (J0 ( z)), computed via the
stationary-phase method, is plotted in Figure 4, and compared with
the MATLAB built-in besselj function (Note that a two-line
224 IEEEAntennasand Propagation Magazine, Vol. 51, No. 6, December2009
Im(t) Im(w)
t
s
.... .....
et
Re(t)
-1
1 Re(w)
C
w
Figure 3a. The integration contours, stationary points, and
steepest-decent paths for the Type-I Bessel integral representa-
tion.
Figure 3d. The integration contours, stationary points, and
steepest-decent paths for the Type-IV Bessel integral represen-
tation.
Im(a)
0.5
-n
Re(a )
o
-0.4
o
Figure 3b. The integration contours, stationary points, and
steepest-decent paths for the Type-Il Bessel integral represen-
tation.
Im(y)
z
Figure 4. The Type-I, first-kind Bessel function of order 0
computed via the stationary-phase method and the MATLAB
built-in besselj function.
--
MATLAB code plots the curve in the figure: z=O: 0 .05 : 50;
plot(z, besselj(O,z))). For v=O, the stationary-point
contributions were adequate to approximate the Bessel function for
every z except at z =v .
-7t

Re(y)
The Type-I first-kind Bessel functions of orders 3 and 6
(J3 ( z) and J6 ( Z)), computed via the stationary-phase method,
are plotted in Figures Sa and Sb, respectively. Note that the station-
ary-phase method approximates the first-kind Bessel function only
for z v .
3.1.2 Type 11
For the second Bessel integral representation given in Equa-
tion (2), the magnitude and phase functions become
Figure 3c. The integration contours, stationary points, and
steepest-decent paths for the Type-Ill Bessel integral represen-
tation.
IEEEAntennasand Propagation Magazine, Vol. 51, No. 6, December 2009
q(t) = - izsin(t)+ivt,
1
f(t)=- .
2"
(lla)
(lIb)
225
The contribution of the second stationary point can be computed as
- 0 . 4 :. j
o 10 2 0 30 40
( )
-I - izsin(ls.)+ivI
s1
J
vt
z '" e .
27Z'izsin(l
s
d
(Bc)
(l4a)
(14b)
Figure Sa. The Type-I, first -kind Bessel functions J
3
(z) for
oS; z S; 50 computed via the stationary-phase method and the
MATLAB built-in besselj function.
(14c)
For z > v , the Bessel function can be approximated as the superpo-
sition of the two stationary-point contributions JvI (z) and
Jv2 ( z) . However, for z <v, the deformed integration contour
only passes through the second stationary point on the positive
imaginary axis, and therefore the Bessel function can be approxi-
mated as the contribution of the second stationary point, Jv2 (z ) .
40 30 20 10
-04

z
Figure 5b. The Type-I, first-kind Bessel functions J6 (z) for
OS; z S; 50 computed via the stationary-phase method and the
MATLAB built-in besselj function .
Im(t)
The contribution of the first stationary point can be computed
Contrary to the Type-I Bessel representation, the stationary
points are dependent on z and v . They are isolated for z values out-
side the vicinity of v . However, for z values in the vicinity of v,
the stationary points are no longer isolated, and the stationary-
phase method becomes invalid.
3
4
Re(t)
3
2
2
.,
.,
2
2
3
Im(t )
.
.. .... ..... . :...... ......:.. ... .. ...
.. r.. .... r.. .. .. ..
, Is. , .
.
' .
q2
, ..... ... .. ...... ... ....... .... ..... ....... . ... .... .... . .. ....... .
. .
.
.
,
.
,
.
,
.
Re(t)
. .... ..... .. .. ......... .. ..... ..... .
i.-I ; ; .
.
.
.
.
.
.
Cl ' .
.
.. ... ... ...; . . . . .. .... .. ;............ .. . . .. .. .... ; ..... .. .... ; ... ... .. ..
, .
i
-0.5
:. : .
, .,
, . ,
., : : : : : : .
: : : : :
. . . . ,
. ., . , .
" .5 . .. . . . . . . . . . .. . . ; ; . . . . . . . . : ; : .
: : : : :
., . , .
. . . . ,
3
3
8: 0
.
2
3
.,
2
o
Rep)
Figure 6c. The locations of the stationary points and the steep-
est-decent paths for the case of z >v .
o
Re(l)
Figure 6d. The locations of the stationary points and the steep-
est-decent paths for the case of z <v.
(12a)
(12b)
(Ba)
(Bb)
q(t
sl)
=- iz sin (lsl) +iVls l ,
Isl =-arccos(;}
The locations of these stationary points are shown in Figure 3b. For
z > v , t
sl
and t
s2
are real : I
sl
is negative, and I
s2
is positive.
They are located symmetrically along the real t axis. If z increases,
tsl and I
s2
move away from each other. For z < v, tsl and I
s2
are
pure imaginary: Isl is on the negative imaginary axis, and t
s
2 is on
the positive imaginary axis. They are located symmetrically along
the imaginary I axis. If z decreases (moves away from v), Isl and
t
s
2 move away from each other. For z =v, t
s1
and I
s2
are both
equal to zero. They are no longer isolated: they coincide.
The stationary points are
as
226 IEEEAntennas andPropagation Magazine, Vo!. 51, No. 6, December2009
Im(t)
Z=2, v!=50

Re( t) , "
..
''"1
....
4 3 2
-1 0
Re( t)
-2 -3 -4
50
o
-50
- 100
- 150
-200
logl[(t) eq(t)/
200
150
100
Figure 6a. The magnitude of the complex integrand in the
Type-II Bessel-integral representation for the case of
z >v (z=30, v=2).
Figure 6b. The magnitude of the complex integrand in the
Type-II Bessel-integral representation for the case of z <v
( z =2 , v =50 ).
0.2
30 25
11 = 10
f\
: ..
! \
.
.
.
.
.
V
UniformAsymptetics
MatLab
I .
f\
i \
.

.
.
:

.
. .
.
;
V
15 20
z
.
.
.
.
f\
I
I
I
.
10 5 o
Type 4

-0.2
30
\' = 4
25 15 20
z
10 5
1 J v(z)
0.5
-0.4
o
Figure 7. The Type-II Bessel function of order 4 computed via
the stationary-phase method, steepest-decent-path evaluation,
and the MATLAB built-in besselj function.
Figure 8. The Type-IV, first-kind Bessel function of order 10
computed via uniform asymptotics and the MATLAB built-in
besselj function.
11 = 4
25 30
I + Direct Integration I
- MatLab
20
z
15 10 5
Type 2

Jv (z)
-0.3
o
Figure 9. The Type-II, first-kind Bessel function of order 4
computed via direct numerical integration and the MATLAB
built-in besselj function.
IEEEAntennas andPropagation Magazine, Vel. 51, No. 6, December2009 227
3.1.3 Type III
For the third Bessel integral representation given in Equa-
tion (3), the magnitude and phase functions become
The Type-IT, first-kind Bessel function of order 4 (J
4
(z),
computed via the stationary-phase method, is plotted in Figure 7
and compared with the MATLAB built-in besselj function. The
stationary-phase method gave accurate results, except in the vicin-
ity of z = v.
(18c)
For z > v, the Bessel function can be approximated as the superpo-
sition of the two stationary-point contributions, JvI ( z)
and Jz (z). However, for z < v, the deformed integration contour
only passes through the second stationary point on the positive real
axis and therefore the Bessel function can be approximated as the
contribution of the second stationary point, Ju2 ( z) .
The Type-ill, first-kind Bessel function representation of
order 3 (J
3
(z), computed via the stationary-phase method, is
plotted in Figure 12 and compared with the MATLAB built-in
besse 1 j function. The stationary-phase method gave accurate
results, except in the vicinity of z = v .
(15a)
(15b)
1
f(t)=-..
21Z
q (t) = z sinh (t)- ot ,
3.1.4 Type IV
For the fourth Bessel integral representation given in Equa-
tion (4), the magnitude and phase functions become
The stationary points are
(16a)
(16b)
q(t) = -izt +io arcsin (t ) , (19a)
The location, of these stationary points is shown in Figure 3c. For
z > v, t
s
l and t
s 2
are pure imaginary: t
s
l is on the negative imagi-
nary axis, and t
s
2 is on the positive imaginary axis. They are
located symmetrically along the imaginary t axis. If z increases, tsI
and t
s
2 move away from each other. For z < v, t
s
l and t
s
2 are
real: tsI is negative, and ts2 is positive. They are located
symmetrically along the real t axis. If z decreases (moves away
from v), t
sl
and t
s 2
move away from each other. For z = v, t
s
l
and t
s
2 are both equal to zero. They are no longer isolated: they
coincide.
1
f(t)= C-;'
21'\}I-t
2
The stationary points are
(19b)
(20a)
(20b)
as
The contribution of the second stationary point can be computed as
as
The locations of these stationary points are shown in Figure 3d. For
z > v, t
sl
and t
s 2
are real: t
s
l is negative, and t
s
2 is positive.
They are located symmetrically along the real t axis. If z increases,
t
s
1 and t
s
2 move away from each other. t
sl
is in the interval
(-1,0), and t
s
2 is in the interval (0,1). For z <v, t
s
l and ta are
pure imaginary: t
sl
is on the negative imaginary axis, and t
s 2
is on
the positive imaginary axis. They are located symmetrically along
the imaginary t axis. If z decreases (moves away from v), t sI and
t
s
2 move away from each other. For z = v, t
sl
and t
s
2 are both
equal to zero. They are no longer isolated: they coincide.
Contrary to the Type-I Bessel representation, the stationary
points are dependent on z and v. They are isolated for z values out-
side the vicinity of v. However, for z values in the vicinity of v,
the stationary points are no longer isolated, and the stationary-
phase method becomes invalid.
The contribution of the first stationary point can be computed
(17a)
(18a)
(17b)
(17c)
q"(t
sl
) = z sinh(t
sl
) ,
The contribution of the first stationary point can be computed
Contrary to the Type-I Bessel representation, the stationary
points are dependent of z and v. They are isolated for z values out-
side the vicinity of v. However, for z values in the vicinity of v,
the stationary points are no longer isolated, and the stationary-
phase method becomes invalid.
q"(t
s2
) =z sinh(t
s2
) , (18b) q (t
sl
) =-izt
s
l +iu arcsin (t
sl
) , (21a)
228 IEEEAntennasand Propagation Magazine, Vot. 51, No. 6, December2009
"
,..
lO' tU 'S2 lO
.
..,
SOP I,.
1
.., ,..

__M
' ....... 0....... ' .

t" Dio.et.........
14.1

rZ: nI
0..
o.
d"r :

rl : rr
rl : riO"

d..r : ri'
S--.tO....... , .
Ord... :ns
r- .................
(" 0 ............

O.
D!
0'
t Ot
0


IQ
"
2D :IS 30
" .
Nm.nc.l8__.....
Figure lOa. The front panel of BESSEL_GUI: The Type-IV
Bessel function of order 15 computed via the stationary-phase
method, steepest-decent-path evaluation, and the MATLAB
built-in besselj function, plotted from z =0 to z =30.
Figure lOb. The front panel of BESSEL_GUI: The Type-IV
Bessel function of order 15 computed via the stationary-phase
method, steepest-decent-path evaluation, and the MATLAB
built-in besselj function, plotted from z =14 to z =16 near
z=v .
ss
. ... .., 'L.UI t I
rl . fT""
rl : rr
,......., ...... lrII.
..r. ri"I
. s......
",_:rr
.................
r 0..- .........
01
os
O.
;;;
40'
0'
0'
2D :IS 30 os .. 2S
w-.\A.LIJ&.t..- "
.. ...
IS
.
10

....
' ..... o..-P.

(" Dio.et.........
__---;!;--_ _ _ _ --,!;-__--,!;-_ _ ---d

rl ; rr
rl ; rJD
4elr : ri1
Order . rr
Figure 11. The front panel of BESSEL_GUI: The Type-I Bessel
function of order 3 computed via the stationary-phase method,
steepest-decent-path evaluation, and the MATLAB built-in
besselj function, plotted from z =0 to z =30.
Figure 12. The front panel of BESSEL_GUI: The Type-Ill
Bessel function of order 3 computed via the stationary-phase
method, steepest-decent-path evaluation, uniform asymptotics,
and the MATLAB built-in besselj function, plotted from z =0
to z = 6.
IEEEAntennasandPropagation Magazine, Vol. 51, No. 6, December 2009 229
"( ) ivtsl
q tsI 3'
v z
(21b)
(21c)
(21d)
through the second stationary point, as can be seen in Figure 3. The
steepest-decent path can be found analytically, and can be visual-
ized graphically by plotting the amplitude of the integrand in three
dimensions. Finding the steepest-decent path and evaluating the
Bessel integral along this path is explained below only for the sec-
ond-type Bessel integral representation, since the calculations for
all types are very similar.
The contribution of the second stationary point can be computed as
"( ) _ ivts2
q t
s
2 3'
v z
q(t
s2
) = -izt
s
2 +iv arcsin(t
s2
) '
The amplitude of the integrand for the second-type Bessel-
function integral representation is plotted in Figure 6a for z > v .
As mentioned in the stationary-phase method, the stationary points
are located symmetrically along the real t axis. For the positive real
stationary point t
s
2 ' the local steepest-decent path makes an angle
of nl4 with the real axis. For the negative real stationary point t
s
l '
the local steepest-decent path makes an angle of - n14 with the
real axis. The stationary points and the steepest-decent path are
plotted in Figure 6c.
3.2.1 Graphical Visualizations of the
Steepest-Decent Paths
(22a)
(22b)
(22c)
(22d)
-2n v
3
-izt
s 2+iuarcsin(ts 2
) Z
---e --
ivt
s2
z3 2nv
For z > V, the Bessel function can be approximated as the superpo-
sition of the two stationary-point contributions, JuI ( z)
and Ju2 ( z). However for z < v, the deformed integration contour
only passes through the second stationary point on the positive
imaginary axis, and therefore the Bessel function can be approxi-
mated as the contribution of the second stationary point, Ju2 ( z).
The Type-N, first-kind Bessel function representation of
order 15 (J
15
( z)), computed via the stationary-phase method, is
plotted in Figure 10 and compared with the MATLAB built-in
besselj function. The stationary-phase method gave accurate
results, except in the vicinity of z = v .
3.2 Steepest-Descent Path Method (SDPM)
The steepest-decent path passes through the stationary point
in the direction of the steepest decrease in the amplitude of the
integrand. The results of the stationary-phase method can be
improved by numerical integration of the approximated phase
function along the steepest-decent path [3]:
The amplitude of the integrand for the second-type Bessel-
function representation is plotted in Figure 6b for z < v. As men-
tioned in the stationary-phase method, the stationary points are
located symmetrically along the imaginary t axis. For the positive
imaginary stationary point ts2' the local steepest-decent path is
parallel to the real t axis. For the negative real stationary point t
s
l '
the local steepest-decent path is parallel to the imaginary t axis, but
the deformed integration contour passes only through the second
stationary point, and the first stationary point does not contribute to
the numerical integration. The stationary points and the steepest-
decent path are plotted in Figure 6d.
3.2.2 Analytical Determination of the
Steepest-Decent Paths
The steepest-decent paths can also be found analytically. By
replacing the phase function with the first three terms of its Taylor
expansion, the integrand can be written as f (t ) eO.5q(t
s
)( t-t
s
)2. The
exponent in the integrand can be written as
(25)
where p is the amplitude and If/ is the phase function, given as
;'11
Along the steepest-decent path, e
p e
should decay and be equal to
e- p . The phase function If/ can therefore be found as (eif// = -1)
where the phase function is replaced with its first three terms of the
Taylor series near t = ts :
(24)
If/ =arg [ q"(ts ) ] +2arg (t- ts ) .
If/ = n .
(26)
(27)
The steepest-decent paths for all four types of integral Bessel rep-
resentations are shown in Figure 3. For Types IT, Ill, and N, if
z > v, the integration contour is so deformed that it passes through
both stationary points in the direction of the steepest-decent path.
However, for z < v, the deformed integration contour passes only
If If/ = n is set into Equation (26), one obtains
(28)
230 IEEEAntennasand Propagation Magazine, Vol. 51, No. 6, December 2009
Table 2. Analytical expressions of the steepest-decent paths for Z >v and Z < u .
For Z > v
tsi is real and negative.
t
sl
=-b, b>O
q"(tsl) =izsin(t
sl)
=-ci, c > 0
arg[q" (t
s
) ] = -if/2
i) arg(t -t
s)
=if/2 +if/4 =3if/4
Im(t) > 0 part of Cl in Figure 6c.
ii) arg (t - ts ) =-if/2 +if/4=- if/4
Im(t) < 0 part of Cl in Figure 6c.
ts2 is real and positive.
t
s2
= b, b > 0
q"(t
s2)
= izsin(t
s2)
= ci, c> 0
arg[q"(t
s
)J=if/2
i) arg (t - ts ) = if/2 - if/4 = if/4
Im(t) > 0 part of C
2
in Figure 6c.
ii) arg(t -t
s)
=-if/2 - if/4 =-3if/4
Im(t) < 0 part of C
2
in Figure 6c.
For Z <u
tsI is imaginary and negative.
tsI = -bi, b > 0
q" (tsi) = iz sin (tsi) = c, c > 0 ,
arg[q"(ts)J = 0
i) arg(t-t
s
) = if / 2
Im(t) > tsI part of Cl in Figure 6d.
ii) arg(t -t
s
) = -if/2
Im(t) < t
sI
part of Clin Figure 6d
(this contour does not contribute)
ts2 is imaginary and positive.
t
s
2 =bi, b > 0
q"(t
s2)
=izsin(t
s2)
=-c, c > 0
arg[q"(t
s
) ] =if
i) arg (t - ts ) =if/2 - if/2 =0
Re(t)> 0 part of C
2
in Figure 6d.
ii) arg(t -t
s
) =-if/2 - if/2 =-if
Re(t)< 0 part of C
2
in Figure 6d.
Having determined the steepest-decent path, the phase func-
tion can be replaced with qI(t) around the first stationary point
and with q2(t) around the second stationary point, where qI(t )
and q2(t) are determined according to Equation (24) as
The stationary points, t
sI
and t
s2'
of the second-type Bessel inte-
gral were given in Equation (12). The steepest-decent paths
through these stationary points are found according to Equa-
tion (28), and are summarized in Table 2 for both of the cases
z > v and z <v.
( )
.' ( ). iz sin tsi ( )2
qI t =-lZSln t
sI
+lvt
sl
+--- t-tsI ,
2!
. . . iz sin (t
s
2) 2
q2(t) = -lzsln(t
s2)+lvts2
+ (t-t
s2)
.
2!
(29a)
(29b)
where the stationary points tsI and t
s2
are as given in Equa-
tion (12), and the integration contours Cl and C
2
are determined
in Table 2 and shown in Figure 6c for Z > v. For z < v, the
integration is done only along the second path, C
2
, shown in Fig-
ure 6d. A MATLAB module to calculate the first-type Bessel Func-
tion via the stationary-phase method and the steepest-decent path is
given in Table 3.
The Type-II, first-kind Bessel integral of order 4 (J
4
(z)),
computed via steepest-decent-path evaluation, is plotted in Fig-
ure 7 and compared with the stationary-phase method and the
MATLAB built-in besselj function. As can be seen in the figure,
numerically integration of the approximated phase function along
the steepest-decent path improved the results obtained via the sta-
tionary-phase method in the vicinity of z = v.
Replacing these phase functions in Equation (23), the Bessel func-
tion can be determined as
. . ( ). izsin(tsd( )2
1 f -lzsm tsl +IUt
sl+---
t-t
sl
Ju(z)=- e 2! dt
2if Cl
. . ( ). izsin(ts2)( )2
1 f -lzsm t
s2
+IU(s2+--- t-t
s2
+- e 2! dt, (30)
2if C
2
IEEEAntennasand Propagation Magazine1 Vat. 51, No. 6, December 2009
3.3 Uniform Asymptotics (UA)
Both the stationary-phase method and the steepest-decent-
path results become invalid near the caustic [4], where the two sta-
tionary points are no longer isolated. In this case, the integral can
be evaluated by uniform asymptotics in terms of Airy functions [1]
and their derivatives as
231
where ao ,S, and A1,2 are defined as
******************
nu=2; k=l; dx=O.OI;
for z=O.1 :0.1:20
coefl =exp(i*z)/(2*pi*i*i"(nu+1));
coef2=exp(-i*z)/(2*pi*i*(-i)"(nu+I)); integl =0; integ2=0;
for a=-2:dx:2
tl =a+i*(-0.5*a+I); f1=exp( -i*z*0.5*(tl-i)"2);
t2=a+i*(0.5*a-I); f2=exp(i*z*0.5*(t2+i)"2);
integl =integl +fl *dx*(1-0.5i);
integ2=integ2+f2*dx*(1+O.5i);
end
besl(k)=-coefl *integl +coef2*integ2; % SDP
bes2(k)=sqrt(2/(pi*z))*cos(z-pi/4-pi*nu/2); % SPM
bes3(k)=besselj(nu,z); zz(k)=z; k=k+l; % MatLab
end
plot(zz,besl,'b.',zz,bes2,'r--',zz,bes3,'k')
legend('SDM', 'SPM','MatLab' ,0)
% ****************** END
Table 3. A MATLAB module calculating the Type-I, first-kind
Bessel function via SPM and SDP evaluation.
(32a)
(32c)
(32b)
(32d)
A1,2 = h1,2f (ts1,2) '
Here, Ai (s) is the Airy Function, and Ai' (s) is the derivative of
the Airy Function (with respect to the argument). For the fourth-
type Bessel, the amplitude function, phase function, and the sta-
tionary points were f(t) =y( ),
q(t) = -izt +iv arcsin (t) , and t sl,2 = v
2
/ z2 , respectively.
o
J ()
1 fe-iZSin(-R+iY)+iV(-R+iY)zdy
v z = 21
00
The Type-IV, first-kind Bessel function of order 10 (J
10
(z)), com-
puted via uniform asymptotics, is plotted in Figure 8 and compared
with the MATLAB built-in besselj function. The uniform
asymptotics gave accurate results except at the point z = v.

00 R
+ f e-izsin(R+iy)+ivR+iyidF+ f e -izsin(t)+ivt dt .
o -R
(34)
3.4 Direct Numerical Integration
The first and third integrals can be written as a single integral as
All four types of Bessel-function integral representations can
also be evaluated via direct numerical integration. The integral
shown in Figure 2b was chosen as an example. The integration
contour for the Type-IT, first-kind Bessel function shown in Fig-
ure 2b can be deformed into three straight lines as
2
r----..A.---"""'"',
R
f e -izsin(t)+ivt dt + fe-izsin(t)+ivt dt
-R+ioo -R
00
Ju ( z ) = i![e-izsin(1T+iy)+iu(lI'+iy) - e-izsin(-lI'+iy)+iu(-1T+iy) }tr
2

R
+ fe-izsin(t)+ivt dt . (35)
-R
By simplifying the above equation, one gets
R+ioo
+ f e-izsin(t)+ivt dt .
R
(33)
1+3

J
u
(z) =-sin(un)je-zsinh(y)-uydr +.!- fcos[ zSin(t)-ut}it.
1 0 1 0
(36)
The first and third integrals are combined by introducing
t = -1 +ir for the first integral and t = 1 +iF for the third inte-
gral:
For integral order v = m= 0,1,2, the factor sin (V1) in front of the
first integral becomes zero, so the Bessel function of integral order
reduces to
232 IEEEAntennas andPropagation Magazine, Vol. 51, No. 6, December2009
The Type-IT, first-kind Bessel function of order 4 (J
4
(z)), com-
puted via direct numerical integration, is plotted in Figure 9 and
compared with the MATLAB built-in besselj function. The direct
numerical integration also gave accurate results in the vicinity of
z = v , and exactly at the point z = v .
1 1r
Ju ( z) = - Jcos [ z sin (t ) - vt }it .
7(0
(37)
Figure 12 presents the graph of the Bessel function of order
v = 3 plotted in the range of 0 z 6 . The third-type Bessel inte-
gral was chosen and evaluated using the stationary-phase method,
steepest-decent-path evaluation, and uniform asymptotics. The uni-
form-asymptotics method also gave accurate results near z = v .
5. Conclusions
4. The Besse/_GUI Package
The MATLAB-based simulation package BESSEL_GUI, with
the front panel displayed in Figure 10, was prepared for the
asymptotic evaluation of Bessel integrals. A pop-up menu allows
the user to choose the type of the Bessel integral. For each type of
Bessel integral, a figure containing the original integration contour,
the stationary points, t
s
l and t
s 2
' and the steepest-decent path
appears at the top of the front panel. The corresponding formula of
the Bessel integral is presented to the right of the figure. Jlist below
the pop-up menu, the user may check one or more radio buttons in
order to choose which methods to use to calculate the Bessel inte-
gral. The user may also select from which zl start value to which
z2 end value the Bessel function is to be calculated. The computa-
tion step, t:1z, and the order of the Bessel function are also speci-
fied by the user at the upper left part. Once the user presses the
"Plot" button, the Bessel function of user-defined order is calcu-
lated from the user-defined zl value to the user-defined z2 value,
using the methods chosen, and plotted to the graph. The Bessel
function computed via the MATLAB built-in function is also plot-
ted to the graph, to validate each method. The tool also allows
plotting the magnitude of the complex integrand of the Bessel inte-
gral in three dimensions, as in Figures 6a and 6b. The user thus can
visualize the locations of the stationary points, and also the steep-
est-decent paths.
The graph of the Bessel function of order v = 15 (J
15
( z) ),
plotted from zl = 0 to Z2 = 50, with a computation step of
& = 0.1, is shown in Figure lOa. In this example, the fourth-type
Bessel integral was chosen and evaluated using the stationary-
phase method and steepest-decent-path evaluation. Both asymp-
totic methods gave accurate results, except in the vicinity of
z = v = 15. Figure lOb presents the same graph, only in the
problematic range 14 z :5; 16 . It was obvious that numerical inte-
gration of the approximated phase function along the steepest-
decent path improved the results obtained via the stationary-phase
method in the vicinity of z = v = 15 .
The Bessel function of order v = 3 is plotted in Figure 11 for
the range of 0:5; z 30. Here, the first-type Bessel integral was
chosen, and the formula of the first-type Bessel integral is pre-
sented in the upper-right part. The original integration contour, C
t
;
the stationary points, t
sl
and t
s 2
; and the steepest-decent path are
shown in the figure. The integral was evaluated using the station-
ary-phase method and steepest-decent-path evaluation. Both meth-
ods approximated the Bessel function only for z v .
IEEEAntennas andPropagation Magazine, Val. 51, No. 6, December 2009
Bessel functions and asymptotic evaluation of Bessel inte-
grals have been investigated. High-frequency asymptotic methods,
such as stationary phase, steepest-decent-path evaluation, and uni-
form asymptotics, were used to evaluate four different types of
Bessel integrals. A user-friendly MATLAB-based virtual tool was
also introduced. The tool enables the user to plot the Bessel func-
tion in a user-specified range by evaluating one of the four differ-
ent types of Bessel integrals, using one or more of the above-men-
tioned asymptotic approaches, or using direct numerical integra-
tion. It compares the results with the MATLAB built-in besselj
functions. The tool also enables visualization of the locations of
the saddle points and also the steepest-decent paths by plotting the
magnitude of the complex integrand of the Bessel integral in three
dimensions. Some illustrative examples were presented to show
the attraction of the package. The tool may be used in both under-
graduate and graduate lectures.
6. References
1. M. Abramowitz and I. Stegun, Handbook of Mathematical
Functions, New York, Dover Publications Inc., 1965.
2. N. N. Lebedev, Special Functions & Their Applications, New
York, Dover Publications Inc., 1972.
3. L. B. Felsen and N. Marcuvitz, Radiation and Scattering of
Waves, Upper Saddle River, NJ, Prentice-Hall Inc., 1973.
4. L. Sevgi, S. Paker, and E. Topuz, "Intrinsic Mode (IM) Formal-
ism and Its Asymptotical Evaluations in 3D Non-Homogeneous
Environments," AEU, Int. J. of Electronics and Communication,
50, 3, May 1996, pp. 201-207.
5. F. Akleman and L. Sevgi, "Analytical and Numerical Investiga-
tions of Ring Resonators," ELEKTRIK, Turkish Journal ofElectri-
cal Engineering and Computer Sciences, 16, 1, January 2008, pp.
87-94.
6. S. A. Bechteler and L. Sevgi, "Millimeter Waveband Semi-
Symmetrical Groove GuideResonator," IEEE Microwave Maga-
zine, 5, 3, September 2004, pp. 51-60.
7. L. Sevgi, F. Akleman, and L. B. Felsen, "Visualizations of Wave
Dynamics in a Wedge-Waveguide with Non-Penetrable Bounda-
ries: Normal, Adiabatic, and Intrinsic-Mode Representations,"
IEEE Antennas and Propagation Magazine, 49, 3, June 2007, pp.
76-94.00
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