Heun's equation with nearby singularities (Q4946501)

In this paper, the following Fuchsian equation with four singularities is studied: \[ L_z[y(z)]= p_0(z) y''(z)+ p_1(z) y'(z)+ p_2(z) y(z)= \lambda y(z),\tag{1} \] with \(p_0(z)= z(z- 1)(z+ s)\), \(p_1(z)= c(z- 1)(z+ s)+ dz(z+ s)+ ez(z- 1)\), \(p_2(z)= abz\) and the parameters \(a\), \(b\), \(c\), \(d\), \(e\) satisfy the Fuchs identity \(a+ b+ 1- c- d- e=0\) and the additional conditions \(c\geq 1\), \(d\geq 1\), \(e\geq 1\), \(a\geq b\). The other parameter \(s\) is a small positive one. A boundary problem on the interval \([0,1]\) is posed for equation (1) with the boundary conditions \(|y(0)|< \infty\), \(|y(1)|< \infty\). The eigenvalues \(\lambda_n\) of this problem are functions of the parameter \(s\). The authors study the behaviour of the eigenvalue curves \(\lambda_n= \lambda_n(s)\) in the vicinity of \(s= 0\), i.e. for \(s\to 0+\). The qualitative behaviour of the eigenfunctions \(y_n(z)\) is also studied. A nice application of the obtained results is demonstrated on an important physical model -- the plastic deformation of crystalline materials under stress.