Basic representations for Eisenstein series from their differential equations (Q2517679)

Let \(P(q)\), \(Q(q)\), and \(R(q)\) denote the ``level \(1\)'' Eisenstein series \[ P(q) := 1- 24 \sum_{n \geq 1} \frac{nq^n}{1-q^n}, \] \[ Q(q) := 1 + 240 \sum_{n \geq 1} \frac{n^3q^n}{1-q^n}, \] and \[ R(q) := 1- 504 \sum_{n \geq 1} \frac{n^5q^n}{1-q^n}. \] Let \(e(q)\), \(\mathcal{P}(q)\), and \(\mathcal{Q}(q)\) denote the ``level \(2\)'' Eisenstein series \[ e(q) := 1 + 24\sum_{n \geq 1} \frac{nq^n}{1+q^n}, \] \[ \mathcal{P}(q) := 1- 8 \sum_{n \geq 1} \frac{(-1)^nnq^n}{1-q^n}, \] and \[ \mathcal{Q}(q) := 1 + 16 \sum_{n \geq 1} \frac{(-1)^nn^3q^n}{1-q^n}. \] The level \(1\) Eisenstein series satisfy the differential equations \[ q\frac{dP}{dq} = \frac{P^2-Q}{12}, \] \[ q\frac{dQ}{dq} = \frac{PQ-R}{3}, \] and \[ q\frac{dR}{dq} = \frac{PR-Q^2}{2}, \] while the level \(2\) Eisenstein series satisfy the differential equations \[ q\frac{de}{dq} = \frac{e\mathcal{P}-\mathcal{Q}}{2}, \] \[ q\frac{d\mathcal{P}}{dq} = \frac{\mathcal{P}^2-\mathcal{Q}}{4}, \] and \[ q\frac{d\mathcal{Q}}{dq} = \mathcal{P}\mathcal{Q}-e\mathcal{Q}. \] The two groups of Eisenstein series are related via the identities \[ P(q) = 3\mathcal{P}(q) - 2e(q), \] \[ Q(q) = 4e^2(q) - 3\mathcal{Q}(q), \] and \[ R(q) = 9e(q)\mathcal{Q}(q) - 8e^3(q). \] In the first half of this paper the author uses ideas from the theory of differential equations to solve the differential equations for the level \(2\) Eisenstein series and obtain the parameterizations \[ \mathcal{P}(q) = (1-u)X^2 + 4u(1-u)u\frac{dX}{du}, \] \[ e(q) = (1+u)X^2, \] and \[ \mathcal{Q}(q) = (1-u)^2X^4, \] these being true provided \[ q = \exp \left(-\pi \frac{X(1-u)}{X(u)}\right), \] where \(0 < u < 1\) and \(X(u)\) is the hypergeometric series \[ X(u) := _2F_1(\frac{1}{2},\frac{1}{2};1;u) = \sum_{n \geq 0} \frac{(a)_k(b)_k}{(c)_kk!}z^k. \] Here \((\alpha)_k\) is defined by \((\alpha)_0 := 1\) and for \(k \geq 1\), \[ (\alpha)_k := \alpha(\alpha+1)(\alpha+2)\cdots(\alpha+k-1). \] Employing the expressions for the level \(1\) Eisenstein series in terms of the level \(2\) Eisenstein series gives the famous parameterizations \[ P(q) = X^2(1-5u) + 12u(1-u)X\frac{dX}{du}, \] \[ Q(q) = X^4(1+14u+u^2), \] and \[ R(q) = X^6(1+u)(1-34u+u^2). \] In the second half of the paper, the author shows how the same ideas applied to the differential equations for the level \(1\) Eisenstein series yield a number of other parameterizations for \(P(q)\), \(Q(q)\), and \(R(q)\). For example, associated with Ramanujan's ``cubic signature'' is the parameterization \[ R(q_3) = (1-20x-8x^2)z^6, \] \[ Q(q_3) = (1+8x)z^4, \] and \[ P(q_3) = (1-4x)z^2+12x(1-x)z\frac{dz}{dx}, \] where \[ q_3 := \exp\left(-\frac{2\pi}{\sqrt{3}}\frac{z(1-x)}{z(x)}\right) \] and \[ z(x) := _2F_1\left(\frac{1}{3},\frac{2}{3},1;x\right). \]