ABSTRACT
As we have seen previously in this book, Bessel functions can be used as a set of basis functions for the Fourier expansion of solutions to certain types of physical problems. In this chapter, we discuss in detail the origins of the Bessel functions and their properties. As we will see, in addition to being of general interest, Bessel functions are a convenient set of basis functions for problems with specific types of symmetries, such as circular or cylindrical symmetry. Bessel functions have also been used in practical applications such as signal processing.
