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Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center
BesselJ
  • See Also
    • BesselJZero
    • BesselY
    • SphericalBesselJ
    • HankelH1
    • HankelH2
    • KelvinBer
    • KelvinBei
    • StruveH
    • BesselK
    • BesselI
    • AngerJ
    • WeberE
    • StruveL
    • ZernikeR
    • HeunD
    • HankelTransform
  • Related Guides
    • Bessel-Related Functions
    • Mathematical Functions
    • Special Functions
    • Scientific Models
    • Functions Used in Optics
    • Functions for Separable Coordinate Systems
  • Tech Notes
    • Special Functions
    • Some Notes on Internal Implementation
    • See Also
      • BesselJZero
      • BesselY
      • SphericalBesselJ
      • HankelH1
      • HankelH2
      • KelvinBer
      • KelvinBei
      • StruveH
      • BesselK
      • BesselI
      • AngerJ
      • WeberE
      • StruveL
      • ZernikeR
      • HeunD
      • HankelTransform
    • Related Guides
      • Bessel-Related Functions
      • Mathematical Functions
      • Special Functions
      • Scientific Models
      • Functions Used in Optics
      • Functions for Separable Coordinate Systems
    • Tech Notes
      • Special Functions
      • Some Notes on Internal Implementation

BesselJ[n,z]

gives the Bessel function of the first kind TemplateBox[{n, z}, BesselJ].

Details
Details and Options Details and Options
Examples  
Basic Examples  
Scope  
Numerical Evaluation  
Specific Values  
Visualization  
Show More Show More
Function Properties  
Differentiation  
Integration  
Series Expansions  
Integral Transforms  
Function Identities and Simplifications  
Function Representations  
Applications  
Properties & Relations  
Possible Issues  
Neat Examples  
See Also
Tech Notes
Related Guides
Related Links
History
Cite this Page
BUILT-IN SYMBOL
  • See Also
    • BesselJZero
    • BesselY
    • SphericalBesselJ
    • HankelH1
    • HankelH2
    • KelvinBer
    • KelvinBei
    • StruveH
    • BesselK
    • BesselI
    • AngerJ
    • WeberE
    • StruveL
    • ZernikeR
    • HeunD
    • HankelTransform
  • Related Guides
    • Bessel-Related Functions
    • Mathematical Functions
    • Special Functions
    • Scientific Models
    • Functions Used in Optics
    • Functions for Separable Coordinate Systems
  • Tech Notes
    • Special Functions
    • Some Notes on Internal Implementation
    • See Also
      • BesselJZero
      • BesselY
      • SphericalBesselJ
      • HankelH1
      • HankelH2
      • KelvinBer
      • KelvinBei
      • StruveH
      • BesselK
      • BesselI
      • AngerJ
      • WeberE
      • StruveL
      • ZernikeR
      • HeunD
      • HankelTransform
    • Related Guides
      • Bessel-Related Functions
      • Mathematical Functions
      • Special Functions
      • Scientific Models
      • Functions Used in Optics
      • Functions for Separable Coordinate Systems
    • Tech Notes
      • Special Functions
      • Some Notes on Internal Implementation

BesselJ

BesselJ[n,z]

gives the Bessel function of the first kind TemplateBox[{n, z}, BesselJ].

Details

  • Mathematical function, suitable for both symbolic and numerical manipulation.
  • TemplateBox[{n, z}, BesselJ] satisfies the differential equation .
  • BesselJ[n,z] has a branch cut discontinuity in the complex z plane running from to .
  • FullSimplify and FunctionExpand include transformation rules for BesselJ.
  • For certain special arguments, BesselJ automatically evaluates to exact values.
  • BesselJ can be evaluated to arbitrary numerical precision.
  • BesselJ automatically threads over lists.
  • BesselJ can be used with Interval and CenteredInterval objects. »

Examples

open all close all

Basic Examples  (5)

Evaluate numerically:

Plot over a subset of the reals:

Plot over a subset of the complexes:

Series expansion at the origin:

Series expansion at Infinity:

Scope  (52)

Numerical Evaluation  (6)

Evaluate numerically:

Evaluate to high precision:

The precision of the output tracks the precision of the input:

Evaluate for complex arguments and parameters:

Evaluate BesselJ efficiently at high precision:

Compute worst-case guaranteed intervals using Interval and CenteredInterval objects:

Or compute average-case statistical intervals using Around:

Compute the elementwise values of an array:

Or compute the matrix BesselJ function using MatrixFunction:

Specific Values  (3)

For half-integer orders, BesselJ evaluates to elementary functions:

Limiting value at infinity:

The first three zeros of TemplateBox[{0, x}, BesselJ]:

Find the first positive zero of TemplateBox[{0, x}, BesselJ] using Solve:

Visualize the result:

Visualization  (4)

Plot the BesselJ function for integer () and half-integer () orders:

Plot the real and imaginary parts of the BesselJ function for half-integer orders:

Plot the real part of :

Plot the imaginary part of :

Plot the real part of :

Plot the imaginary part of :

Function Properties  (12)

is defined for all real and complex values:

is defined for all real values greater than 0:

Complex domain is the whole plane except :

Approximate function range of :

Approximate function range of :

For integer , TemplateBox[{n, z}, BesselJ] is an even or odd function in depending on whether is even or odd:

This can be expressed as TemplateBox[{n, z}, BesselJ]=(-1)^n TemplateBox[{n, {-, z}}, BesselJ]:

TemplateBox[{n, z}, BesselJ] is an analytic function of for integer :

It is not analytic for noninteger orders:

BesselJ is neither non-decreasing nor non-increasing:

BesselJ is not injective:

BesselJ is not surjective:

BesselJ is neither non-negative nor non-positive:

TemplateBox[{n, z}, BesselJ] is singular for , possibly including , when is noninteger:

The same is true of its discontinuities:

BesselJ is neither convex nor concave:

TraditionalForm formatting:

Differentiation  (3)

First derivative:

Higher derivatives:

Plot higher derivatives for integer and half-integer orders:

Formula for the ^(th) derivative:

Integration  (5)

Compute the indefinite integral of BesselJ using Integrate:

Indefinite integral of an expression involving BesselJ:

Definite integral:

Definite integral of over an interval centered at the origin is 0:

Definite integral of (even integrand) over an interval centered at the origin:

This is twice the integral over half the interval:

Series Expansions  (6)

Taylor expansion for around :

Plot the first three approximations for around :

General term in the series expansion of BesselJ:

Series expansion for around :

Plot the first three approximations for around :

Asymptotic approximation of BesselJ:

Taylor expansion at a generic point:

BesselJ can be applied to a power series:

Integral Transforms  (4)

Compute a Fourier transform using FourierTransform:

LaplaceTransform:

HankelTransform:

MellinTransform:

Function Identities and Simplifications  (4)

Use FullSimplify to simplify Bessel functions:

Verify the identity TemplateBox[{{n, -, 1}, z}, BesselJ] TemplateBox[{{-, n}, z}, BesselJ]+TemplateBox[{{1, -, n}, z}, BesselJ] TemplateBox[{n, z}, BesselJ]=(2 sin(pi n))/(pi z):

Recurrence relations z (TemplateBox[{{n, -, 1}, z}, BesselJ] + TemplateBox[{{n, +, 1}, z}, BesselJ])=2 n J_n(z):

For integer and arbitrary fixed , TemplateBox[{{-, n}, z}, BesselJ]=(-1)^n TemplateBox[{n, z}, BesselJ]:

Function Representations  (5)

Representation through BesselI:

Series representation:

Integral representation:

Representation in terms of MeijerG:

Representation in terms of DifferenceRoot:

Applications  (3)

Solve the Bessel differential equation:

Solve another differential equation:

Fraunhofer diffraction is the type of diffraction that occurs in the limit of a small Fresnel number. Plot the intensity of the Fraunhofer diffraction pattern of a circular aperture versus diffraction angle:

Kepler's equation describes the motion of a body in an elliptical orbit. Approximate solution of Kepler's equation as a truncated Fourier sine series:

Exact solution:

Plot the difference between solutions:

Properties & Relations  (5)

Use FullSimplify to simplify Bessel functions:

Sum and Integrate can produce BesselJ:

Find limits of expressions involving BesselJ:

BesselJ can be represented as a DifferentialRoot:

The exponential generating function for BesselJ:

Possible Issues  (1)

With numeric arguments, half-integer Bessel functions are not automatically evaluated:

For symbolic arguments they are:

This can lead to major inaccuracies in machine-precision evaluation:

Neat Examples  (1)

Plot the Riemann surface of TemplateBox[{{1, /, 3}, z}, BesselJ]:

See Also

BesselJZero  BesselY  SphericalBesselJ  HankelH1  HankelH2  KelvinBer  KelvinBei  StruveH  BesselK  BesselI  AngerJ  WeberE  StruveL  ZernikeR  HeunD  HankelTransform

Tech Notes

    ▪
  • Special Functions
  • ▪
  • Some Notes on Internal Implementation

Related Guides

    ▪
  • Bessel-Related Functions
  • ▪
  • Mathematical Functions
  • ▪
  • Special Functions
  • ▪
  • Scientific Models
  • ▪
  • Functions Used in Optics
  • ▪
  • Functions for Separable Coordinate Systems

Related Links

  • MathWorld
  • The Wolfram Functions Site
  • An Elementary Introduction to the Wolfram Language : More about Numbers
  • NKS|Online  (A New Kind of Science)

History

Introduced in 1988 (1.0) | Updated in 1999 (4.0) ▪ 2000 (4.1) ▪ 2002 (4.2) ▪ 2021 (13.0) ▪ 2022 (13.1)

Wolfram Research (1988), BesselJ, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/BesselJ.html (updated 2022).

Text

Wolfram Research (1988), BesselJ, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/BesselJ.html (updated 2022).

CMS

Wolfram Language. 1988. "BesselJ." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. Last Modified 2022. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/BesselJ.html.

APA

Wolfram Language. (1988). BesselJ. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/BesselJ.html

BibTeX

@misc{reference.wolfram_2025_besselj, author="Wolfram Research", title="{BesselJ}", year="2022", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/BesselJ.html}", note=[Accessed: 01-May-2026]}

BibLaTeX

@online{reference.wolfram_2025_besselj, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={BesselJ}, year={2022}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/BesselJ.html}, note=[Accessed: 01-May-2026]}

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