[section:lambert_w Lambert /W/ function] [h4:synopsis Synopsis] `` #include `` namespace boost { namespace math { template ``__sf_result`` lambert_w0(T z); // W0 branch, default policy. template ``__sf_result`` lambert_wm1(T z); // W-1 branch, default policy. template ``__sf_result`` lambert_w0_prime(T z); // W0 branch 1st derivative. template ``__sf_result`` lambert_wm1_prime(T z); // W-1 branch 1st derivative. template ``__sf_result`` lambert_w0(T z, const ``__Policy``&); // W0 with policy. template ``__sf_result`` lambert_wm1(T z, const ``__Policy``&); // W-1 with policy. template ``__sf_result`` lambert_w0_prime(T z, const ``__Policy``&); // W0 derivative with policy. template ``__sf_result`` lambert_wm1_prime(T z, const ``__Policy``&); // W-1 derivative with policy. } // namespace boost } // namespace math [h4:description Description] The __Lambert_W is the solution of the equation /W/(/z/)/e/[super /W/(/z/)] = /z/. It is also called the Omega function, the inverse of /f/(/W/) = /We/[super /W/]. On the interval \[0, [infin]\), there is just one real solution. On the interval (-/e/[super -1], 0), there are two real solutions, generating two branches which we will denote by /W/[sub 0] and /W/[sub -1]. In Boost.Math, we call these principal branches `lambert_w0` and `lambert_wm1`; their derivatives are labelled `lambert_w0_prime` and `lambert_wm1_prime`. [import ../../example/lambert_w_graph.cpp] [graph lambert_w_graph] [graph lambert_w_graph_big_w] [graph lambert_w0_prime_graph] [graph lambert_wm1_prime_graph] There is a singularity where the branches meet at /e/[super -1] [cong] [^ -0.367879]. Approaching this point, the condition number of function evaluation tends to infinity, and the only method of recovering high accuracy is use of higher precision. This implementation computes the two real branches /W/[sub 0] and /W/[sub -1] with the functions `lambert_w0` and `lambert_wm1`, and their derivatives, `lambert_w0_prime` and `lambert_wm1_prime`. Complex arguments are not supported. The final __Policy argument is optional and can be used to control how the function deals with errors. Refer to __policy_section for more details and see examples below. [h5:applications Applications of the Lambert /W/ function] The Lambert /W/ function has a myriad of applications. [@http://www.apmaths.uwo.ca/~djeffrey/Offprints/W-adv-cm.pdf Corless et al.] provide a summary of applications, from the mathematical, like iterated exponentiation and asymptotic roots of trinomials, to the real-world, such as the range of a jet plane, enzyme kinetics, water movement in soil, epidemics, and diode current (an example replicated [@../../example/lambert_w_diode.cpp here]). Since the publication of their landmark paper, there have been many more applications, and also many new implementations of the function, upon which this implementation builds. [h4:examples Examples] [import ../../example/lambert_w_simple_examples.cpp] The most basic usage of the Lambert-/W/ function is demonstrated below: [lambert_w_simple_examples_includes] [lambert_w_simple_examples_0] Other floating-point types can be used too, here `float`, including user-defined types like __multiprecision. It is convenient to use a function like `show_value` to display all (and only) potentially significant decimal digits, including any significant trailing zeros, (`std::numeric_limits::max_digits10`) for the type `T`. [lambert_w_simple_examples_1] Example of an integer argument to `lambert_w0`, showing that an `int` literal is correctly promoted to a `double`. [lambert_w_simple_examples_2] Using __multiprecision types to get much higher precision is painless. [lambert_w_simple_examples_3] [warning When using multiprecision, take very great care not to construct or assign non-integers from `double`, `float` ... silently losing precision. Use `"1.2345678901234567890123456789"` rather than `1.2345678901234567890123456789`.] Using multiprecision types, it is all too easy to get multiprecision precision wrong! [lambert_w_simple_examples_4] [note See spurious non-seven decimal digits appearing after digit #17 in the argument 0.7777777777777777...!] And similarly constructing from a literal `double 0.9`, with more random digits after digit number 17. [lambert_w_simple_examples_4a] Note how the `cpp_float_dec_50` result is only as correct as from a `double = 0.9`. Now see the correct result for all 50 decimal digits constructing from a decimal digit string "0.9": [lambert_w_simple_examples_4b] Note the expected zeros for all places up to 50 - and the correct Lambert /W/ result! (It is just as easy to compute even higher precisions, at least to thousands of decimal digits, but not shown here for brevity. See [@../../example/lambert_w_simple_examples.cpp lambert_w_simple_examples.cpp] for comparison of an evaluation at 1000 decimal digit precision with __WolframAlpha). Policies can be used to control what action to take on errors: [lambert_w_simple_examples_error_policies] An example error message: [lambert_w_simple_examples_error_message_1] Showing an error reported if a value is passed to `lambert_w0` that is out of range, (and was probably meant to be passed to `lambert_wm1` instead). [lambert_w_simple_examples_out_of_range] The full source of these examples is at [@../../example/lambert_w_simple_examples.cpp lambert_w_simple_examples.cpp] [h5:diode_resistance Diode Resistance Example] [import ../../example/lambert_w_diode_graph.cpp] A typical example of a practical application is estimating the current flow through a diode with series resistance from a paper by Banwell and Jayakumar. Having the Lambert /W/ function available makes it simple to reproduce the plot in their paper (Fig 2) comparing estimates using with Lambert /W/ function and some actual measurements. The colored curves show the effect of various series resistance on the current compared to an extrapolated line in grey with no internal (or external) resistance. Two formulae relating the diode current and effect of series resistance can be combined, but yield an otherwise intractable equation relating the current versus voltage with a varying series resistance. This was reformulated as a generalized equation in terms of the Lambert W function: Banwell and Jakaumar equation 5 [expression I(V) = [mu] V[sub T]/ R [sub S] [dot] W[sub 0](I[sub 0] R[sub S] / ([mu] V[sub T]))] Using these variables [lambert_w_diode_graph_1] the formulas can be rendered in C++ [lambert_w_diode_graph_2] to reproduce their Fig 2: [graph diode_iv_plot] The plotted points for no external series resistance (derived from their published plot as the raw data are not publicly available) are used to extrapolate back to estimate the intrinsic emitter resistance as 0.3 ohm. The effect of external series resistance is visible when the colored lines start to curve away from the straight line as voltage increases. See [@../../example/lambert_w_diode.cpp lambert_w_diode.cpp] and [@../../example/lambert_w_diode_graph.cpp lambert_w_diode_graph.cpp] for details of the calculation. [h5:implementations Existing implementations] The principal value of the Lambert /W/ function is implemented in the [@http://mathworld.wolfram.com/LambertW-Function.html Wolfram Language] as `ProductLog[k, z]`, where `k` is the branch. The symbolic algebra program __Maple also computes Lambert /W/ to an arbitrary precision. [h4:precision Controlling the compromise between Precision and Speed] [h5:small_floats Floating-point types `double` and `float`] This implementation provides good precision and excellent speed for __fundamental `float` and `double`. All the functions usually return values within a few __ulp for the floating-point type, except for very small arguments very near zero, and for arguments very close to the singularity at the branch point. By default, this implementation provides the best possible speed. Very slightly average higher precision and less bias might be obtained by adding a __halley step refinement, but at the cost of more than doubling the runtime. [h5:big_floats Floating-point types larger than double] For floating-point types with precision greater than `double` and `float` __fundamental_types, a `double` evaluation is used as a first approximation followed by Halley refinement, using a single step where it can be predicted that this will be sufficient, and only using __halley iteration when necessary. Higher precision types are always going to be [*very, very much slower]. The 'best' evaluation (the nearest __representable) can be achieved by `static_cast`ing from a higher precision type, typically a __multiprecision type like `cpp_bin_float_50`, but at the cost of increasing run-time 100-fold; this has been used here to provide some of our reference values for testing. [import ../../example/lambert_w_precision_example.cpp] For example, we get a reference value using a high precision type, for example; using boost::multiprecision::cpp_bin_float_50; that uses Halley iteration to refine until it is as precise as possible for this `cpp_bin_float_50` type. As a further check we can compare this with a __WolframAlpha computation using command [^N\[ProductLog\[10.\], 50\]] to get 50 decimal digits and similarly [^N\[ProductLog\[10.\], 17\]] to get the nearest representable for 64-bit `double` precision. [lambert_w_precision_reference_w] giving us the same nearest representable using 64-bit `double` as `1.7455280027406994`. However, the rational polynomial and Fukushima Schroder approximations are so good for type `float` and `double` that negligible improvement is gained from a `double` Halley step. This is shown with [@../../example/lambert_w_precision_example.cpp lambert_w_precision_example.cpp] for Lambert /W/[sub 0]: [lambert_w_precision_1] with this output: [lambert_w_precision_output_1] and then for /W/[sub -1]: [lambert_w_precision_2] with this output: [lambert_w_precision_output_2] [h5:differences_distribution Distribution of differences from 'best' `double` evaluations] The distribution of differences from 'best' are shown in these graphs comparing `double` precision evaluations with reference 'best' z50 evaluations using `cpp_bin_float_50` type reduced to `double` with `static_cast::infinity())` throws an `overflow_error`. (An infinite argument probably indicates that something has already gone wrong, but if it is desired to return infinity, this case should be handled before calling `lambert_w0`). [h5:wm1_edges /W/[sub -1] Branch] The domain of /W/[sub -1] is \[-/e/[super -1], 0\). Numerically, * `lambert_wm1(-1/e)` is exactly -1. * `lambert_wm1(0)` returns -[infin] (or the nearest equivalent if `std::has_infinity == false`). * `lambert_wm1(-std::numeric_limits::min())` returns the maximum (most negative) possible value of Lambert /W/ for the type T. [br] For example, for `double`: lambert_wm1(-2.2250738585072014e-308) = -714.96865723796634 [br] and for `float`: lambert_wm1(-1.17549435e-38) = -91.8567734 [br] * `z < -std::numeric_limits::min()`, means that z is zero or denormalized (if `std::numeric_limits::has_denorm_min == true`), for example: `r = lambert_wm1(-std::numeric_limits::denorm_min());` and an overflow_error exception is thrown, and will give a message like: Error in function boost::math::lambert_wm1(): Argument z = -4.9406564584124654e-324 is too small (z < -std::numeric_limits::min so denormalized) for Lambert W-1 branch! Denormalized values are not supported for Lambert /W/[sub -1] (because not all floating-point types denormalize), and anyway it only covers a tiny fraction of the range of possible z arguments values. [h4:compilers Compilers] The `lambert_w.hpp` code has been shown to work on most C++98 compilers. (Apart from requiring C++11 extensions for using of `std::numeric_limits<>::max_digits10` in some diagnostics. Many old pre-c++11 compilers provide this extension but may require enabling to use, for example using b2/bjam the lambert_w examples use this command: [ run lambert_w_basic_example.cpp : : : [ requires cxx11_numeric_limits ] ] See [@../../example/Jamfile.v2 jamfile.v2].) For details of which compilers are expected to work see lambert_w tests and examples in:[br] [@https://www.boost.org/development/tests/master/developer/math.html Boost Test Summary report for master branch (used for latest release)][br] [@https://www.boost.org/development/tests/develop/developer/math.html Boost Test Summary report for latest developer branch]. As expected, debug mode is very much slower than release. [h5:diagnostics Diagnostics Macros] Several macros are provided to output diagnostic information (potentially [*much] output). These can be statements, for example: `#define BOOST_MATH_INSTRUMENT_LAMBERT_W_TERMS` placed [*before] the `lambert_w` include statement `#include `, or defined on the project compile command-line: `/DBOOST_MATH_INSTRUMENT_LAMBERT_W_TERMS`, or defined in a jamfile.v2: `BOOST_MATH_INSTRUMENT_LAMBERT_W_TERMS` [import ../../include/boost/math/special_functions/lambert_w.hpp] [boost_math_instrument_lambert_w_macros] [h4:implementation Implementation] There are many previous implementations, each with increasing accuracy and/or speed. See __lambert_w_references below. For most of the range of ['z] arguments, some initial approximation followed by a single refinement, often using Halley or similar method, gives a useful precision. For speed, several implementations avoid evaluation of a iteration test using the exponential function, estimating that a single refinement step will suffice, but these rarely get to the best result possible. To get a better precision, additional refinements, probably iterative, are needed for example, using __halley or __schroder methods. For C++, the most precise results possible, closest to the nearest __representable for the C++ type being used, it is usually necessary to use a higher precision type for intermediate computation, finally static-casting back to the smaller desired result type. This strategy is used by __Maple and __WolframAlpha, for example, using arbitrary precision arithmetic, and some of their high-precision values are used for testing this library. This method is also used to provide some __boost_test values using __multiprecision, typically, a 50 decimal digit type like `cpp_bin_float_50` `static_cast` to a `float`, `double` or `long double` type. For ['z] argument values near the singularity and near zero, other approximations may be used, possibly followed by refinement or increasing number of series terms until a desired precision is achieved. At extreme arguments near to zero or the singularity at the branch point, even this fails and the only method to achieve a really close result is to cast from a higher precision type. In practical applications, the increased computation required (often towards a thousand-fold slower and requiring much additional code for __multiprecision) is not justified and the algorithms here do not implement this. But because the Boost.Lambert_W algorithms has been tested using __multiprecision, users who require this can always easily achieve the nearest representation for __fundamental_types - if the application justifies the very large extra computation cost. [h5 Evolution of this implementation] One compact real-only implementation was based on an algorithm by __Luu_thesis, (see routine 11 on page 98 for his Lambert W algorithm) and his Halley refinement is used iteratively when required. A first implementation was based on Thomas Luu's code posted at [@https://svn.boost.org/trac/boost/ticket/11027 Boost Trac \#11027]. It has been implemented from Luu's algorithm but templated on `RealType` parameter and result and handles both __fundamental_types (`float, double, long double`), __multiprecision, and also has been tested successfully with a proposed fixed_point type. A first approximation was computed using the method of Barry et al (see references 5 & 6 below). This was extended to the widely used [@https://people.sc.fsu.edu/~jburkardt/f_src/toms443/toms443.html TOMS443] FORTRAN and C++ versions by John Burkardt using Schroeder refinement(s). (For users only requiring an accuracy of relative accuracy of 0.02%, Barry's function alone might suffice, but a better __rational_function approximation method has since been developed for this implementation). We also considered using __newton method. `` f(w) = w e^w -z = 0 // Luu equation 6.37 f'(w) = e^w (1 + w), Wolfram alpha (d)/(dw)(f(w) = w exp(w) - z) = e^w (w + 1) if (f(w) / f'(w) -1 < tolerance w1 = w0 - (expw0 * (w0 + 1)); // Refine new Newton/Raphson estimate. `` but concluded that since the Newton-Raphson method takes typically 6 iterations to converge within tolerance, whereas Halley usually takes only 1 to 3 iterations to achieve an result within 1 __ulp, so the Newton-Raphson method is unlikely to be quicker than the additional cost of computing the 2nd derivative for Halley's method. Halley refinement uses the simplified formulae obtained from [@http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=%5B2(z+exp(z)-w)+d%2Fdx+(z+exp(z)-w)%5D+%2F+%5B2+(d%2Fdx+(z+exp(z)-w))%5E2+-+(z+exp(z)-w)+d%5E2%2Fdx%5E2+(z+exp(z)-w)%5D Wolfram Alpha] [2(z exp(z)-w) d/dx (z exp(z)-w)] / [2 (d/dx (z exp(z)-w))^2 - (z exp(z)-w) d^2/dx^2 (z exp(z)-w)] [h4:compact_implementation Implementing Compact Algorithms] The most compact algorithm can probably be implemented using the log approximation of Corless et al. followed by Halley iteration (but is also slowest and least precise near zero and near the branch singularity). [h4:faster_implementation Implementing Faster Algorithms] More recently, the Tosio Fukushima has developed an even faster algorithm, avoiding any transcendental function calls as these are necessarily expensive. The current implementation of Lambert /W/[sub -1] is based on his algorithm starting with a translation from Fukushima's FORTRAN into C++ by Darko Veberic. Many applications of the Lambert W function make many repeated evaluations for Monte Carlo methods; for these applications speed is very important. Luu, and Chapeau-Blondeau and Monir provide typical usage examples. Fukushima improves the important observation that much of the execution time of all previous iterative algorithms was spent evaluating transcendental functions, usually `exp`. He has put a lot of work into avoiding any slow transcendental functions by using lookup tables and bisection, finishing with a single Schroeder refinement, without any check on the final precision of the result (necessarily evaluating an expensive exponential). Theoretical and practical tests confirm that Fukushima's algorithm gives Lambert W estimates with a known small error bound (several __ulp) over nearly all the range of ['z] argument. A mean difference was computed to express the typical error and is often about 0.5 epsilon, the theoretical minimum. Using the __float_distance, we can also express this as the number of bits that are different from the nearest representable or 'exact' or 'best' value. The number and distribution of these few bits differences was studied by binning, including their sign. Bins for (signed) 0, 1, 2 and 3 and 4 bits proved suitable. However, though these give results within a few __epsilon of the nearest representable result, they do not get as close as is very often possible with further refinement, nearly always to within one or two __epsilon. More significantly, the evaluations of the sum of all signed differences using the Fukshima algorithm show a slight bias, being more likely to be a bit or few below the nearest representation than above; bias might have unwanted effects on some statistical computations. Fukushima's method also does not cover the full range of z arguments of 'float' precision and above. For this implementation of Lambert /W/[sub 0], John Maddock used the Boost.Math __remez method program to devise a __rational_function for several ranges of argument for the /W/[sub 0] branch of Lambert /W/ function. These minimax rational approximations are combined for an algorithm that is both smaller and faster. Sadly it has not proved practical to use the same __remez method for Lambert /W/[sub -1] branch and so the Fukushima algorithm is retained for this branch. An advantage of both minimax rational __remez approximations is that the [*distribution] from the reference values is reasonably random and insignificantly biased. For example, table below a test of Lambert /W/[sub 0] 10000 values of argument covering the main range of possible values, 10000 comparisons from z = 0.0501 to 703, in 0.001 step factor 1.05 when module 7 == 0 [table:lambert_w0_Fukushima Fukushima Lambert /W/[sub 0] and typical improvement from a single Halley step. [[Method] [Exact] [One_bit] [Two_bits] [Few_bits] [inexact] [bias]] [[Schroeder /W/[sub 0] ] [8804 ] [ 1154 ] [ 37 ] [ 5 ] [1243 ] [-1193]] [[after Halley step] [ 9710 ] [ 288 ] [ 2 ] [0] [ 292 ] [22]] ] [/table:lambert_w0_Fukushima /W/[sub 0] ] Lambert /W/[sub 0] values computed using the Fukushima method with Schroeder refinement gave about 1/6 `lambert_w0` values that are one bit different from the 'best', and < 1% that are a few bits 'wrong'. If a Halley refinement step is added, only 1 in 30 are even one bit different, and only 2 two-bits 'wrong'. [table:lambert_w0_plus_halley Rational polynomial Lambert /W/[sub 0] and typical improvement from a single Halley step. [[Method] [Exact] [One_bit] [Two_bits] [Few_bits] [inexact] [bias]] [[rational/polynomial] [7135] [ 2863 ] [ 2 ] [0] [ 2867 ] [ -59] ] [[after Halley step ] [ 9724 ] [273] [ 3 ] [0] [ 279 ] [5] ] ] [/table:lambert_w0_plus_halley] With the rational polynomial approximation method, there are a third one-bit from the best and none more than two-bits. Adding a Halley step (or iteration) reduces the number that are one-bit different from about a third down to one in 30; this is unavoidable 'computational noise'. An extra Halley step would double the runtime for a tiny gain and so is not chosen for this implementation, but remains a option, as detailed above. For the Lambert /W/[sub -1] branch, the Fukushima algorithm is used. [table:lambert_wm1_fukushima Lambert /W/[sub -1] using Fukushima algorithm. [[Method] [Exact] [One_bit] [Two_bits] [Few_bits] [inexact] [bias]] [[Fukushima /W/[sub -1]] [ 7167] [2704 ] [ 129 ] [0] [2962 ] [-160]] [[plus Halley step] [ 7379 ] [ 2529 ] [92 ] [0] [ 2713 ] [ 549]] ] [/table:lambert_wm1_fukushima] [/ generated using PAB j:\Cpp\Misc\lambert_w_compare_jm2\lambert_w_compare_jm2.cpp] [h5:lookup_tables Lookup tables] For speed during the bisection, Fukushima's algorithm computes lookup tables of powers of e and z for integral Lambert W. There are 64 elements in these tables. The FORTRAN version (and the C++ translation by Veberic) computed these (once) as `static` data. This is slower, may cause trouble with multithreading, and is slightly inaccurate because of rounding errors from repeated(64) multiplications. In this implementation the array values have been computed using __multiprecision 50 decimal digit and output as C++ arrays 37 decimal digit `long double` literals using `max_digits10` precision std::cout.precision(std::numeric_limits::max_digits10); The arrays are as `const` and `constexpr` and `static` as possible (for the compiler version), using BOOST_STATIC_CONSTEXPR macro. (See [@../../tools/lambert_w_lookup_table_generator.cpp lambert_w_lookup_table_generator.cpp] The precision was chosen to ensure that if used as `long double` arrays, then the values output to [@ ../../include/boost/math/special_functions/detail/lambert_w_lookup_table.ipp lambert_w_lookup_table.ipp] will be the nearest representable value for the type chose by a `typedef` in [@../../include/boost/math/special_functions/lambert_w.hpp lambert_w.hpp]. typedef double lookup_t; // Type for lookup table (`double` or `float`, or even `long double`?) This is to allow for future use at higher precision, up to platforms that use 128-bit (hardware or software) for their `long double` type. The accuracy of the tables was confirmed using __WolframAlpha and agrees at the 37th decimal place, so ensuring that the value is exactly read into even 128-bit `long double` to the nearest representation. [h5:higher_precision Higher precision] For types more precise than `double`, Fukushima reported that it was best to use the `double` estimate as a starting point, followed by refinement using __halley iterations or other methods; our experience confirms this. Using __multiprecision it is simple to compute very high precision values of Lambert W at least to thousands of decimal digits over most of the range of z arguments. For this reason, the lookup tables and bisection are only carried out at low precision, usually `double`, chosen by the `typedef double lookup_t`. Unlike the FORTRAN version, the lookup tables of Lambert_W of integral values are precomputed as C++ static arrays of floating-point literals. The default is a `typedef` setting the type to `double`. To allow users to vary the precision from `float` to `long double` these are computed to 128-bit precision to ensure that even platforms with `long double` do not lose precision. The FORTRAN version and translation only permits the z argument to be the largest items in these lookup arrays, `wm0s[64] = 3.99049`, producing an error message and returning `NaN`. So 64 is the largest possible value ever returned from the `lambert_w0` function. This is far from the `std::numeric_limits<>::max()` for even `float`s. Therefore this implementation uses an approximation or 'guess' and Halley's method to refine the result. Logarithmic approximation is discussed at length by R.M.Corless et al. (page 349). Here we use the first two terms of equation 4.19: T lz = log(z); T llz = log(lz); guess = lz - llz + (llz / lz); This gives a useful precision suitable for Halley refinement. Similarly, for Lambert /W/[sub -1] branch, tiny values very near zero, W > 64 cannot be computed using the lookup table. For this region, an approximation followed by a few (usually 3) Halley refinements. See __lambert_w_wm1_near_zero. For the less well-behaved regions for Lambert /W/[sub 0] ['z] arguments near zero, and near the branch singularity at ['-1/e], some series functions are used. [h5:small_z Small values of argument z near zero] When argument ['z] is small and near zero, there is an efficient and accurate series evaluation method available (implemented in `lambert_w0_small_z`). There is no equivalent for the /W/[sub -1] branch as this only covers argument `z < -1/e`. The cutoff used `abs(z) < 0.05` is as found by trial and error by Fukushima. Coefficients of the inverted series expansion of the Lambert W function around `z = 0` are computed following Fukushima using 17 terms of a Taylor series computed using __Mathematica with InverseSeries[Series[z Exp[z],{z,0,17}]] See Tosio Fukushima, Journal of Computational and Applied Mathematics 244 (2013), page 86. To provide higher precision constants (34 decimal digits) for types larger than `long double`, InverseSeries[Series[z Exp[z],{z,0,34}]] were also computed, but for current hardware it was found that evaluating a `double` precision and then refining with Halley's method was quicker and more accurate. Decimal values of specifications for built-in floating-point types below are 21 digits precision == `std::numeric_limits::max_digits10` for `long double`. Specializations for `lambert_w0_small_z` are provided for `float`, `double`, `long double`, `float128` and for __multiprecision types. The `tag_type` selection is based on the value `std::numeric_limits::max_digits10` (and [*not] on the floating-point type T). This distinguishes between `long double` types that commonly vary between 64 and 80-bits, and also compilers that have a `float` type using 64 bits and/or `long double` using 128-bits. As noted in the __lambert_w_implementation section above, it is only possible to ensure the nearest representable value by casting from a higher precision type, computed at very, very much greater cost. For multiprecision types, first several terms of the series are tabulated and evaluated as a polynomial: (this will save us a bunch of expensive calls to `pow`). Then our series functor is initialized "as if" it had already reached term 18, enough evaluation of built-in 64-bit double and float (and 80-bit `long double`) types. Finally the functor is called repeatedly to compute as many additional series terms as necessary to achieve the desired precision, set from `get_epsilon` (or terminated by `evaluation_error` on reaching the set iteration limit `max_series_iterations`). A little more than one decimal digit of precision is gained by each additional series term. This allows computation of Lambert W near zero to at least 1000 decimal digit precision, given sufficient compute time. [h4:near_singularity Argument z near the singularity at -1/e between branches /W/[sub 0] and /W/[sub -1] ] Variants of Function `lambert_w_singularity_series` are used to handle ['z] arguments which are near to the singularity at `z = -exp(-1) = -3.6787944` where the branches /W/[sub 0] and /W/[sub -1] join. T. Fukushima / Journal of Computational and Applied Mathematics 244 (2013) 77-89 describes using __Mathematica InverseSeries\[Series\[sqrt\[2(p Exp\[1 + p\] + 1)\], {p,-1, 20}\]\] to provide his Table 3, page 85. This implementation used __Mathematica to obtain 40 series terms at 50 decimal digit precision `` N\[InverseSeries\[Series\[Sqrt\[2(p Exp\[1 + p\] + 1)\], { p,-1,40 }\]\], 50\] -1+p-p^2/3+(11 p^3)/72-(43 p^4)/540+(769 p^5)/17280-(221 p^6)/8505+(680863 p^7)/43545600 ... `` These constants are computed at compile time for the full precision for any `RealType T` using the original rationals from Fukushima Table 3. Longer decimal digits strings are rationals pre-evaluated using __Mathematica. Some integer constants overflow, so largest size available is used, suffixed by `uLL`. Above the 14th term, the rationals exceed the range of `unsigned long long` and are replaced by pre-computed decimal values at least 21 digits precision == `max_digits10` for `long double`. A macro `BOOST_MATH_TEST_VALUE` (defined in [@../../test/test_value.hpp test_value.hpp]) taking a decimal floating-point literal was used to allow testing with both built-in floating-point types like `double` which have constructors taking literal decimal values like `3.14`, [*and] also multiprecision and other User-defined Types that only provide full-precision construction from decimal digit strings like `"3.14"`. (Construction of multiprecision types from built-in floating-point types only provides the precision of the built-in type, like `double`, only 17 decimal digits). [tip Be exceeding careful not to silently lose precision by constructing multiprecision types from literal decimal types, usually [^double]. Use decimal digit strings like "3.1459" instead. See examples.] Fukushima's implementation used 20 series terms; it was confirmed that using more terms does not usefully increase accuracy. [h5:wm1_near_zero Lambert /W/[sub -1] arguments values very near zero.] The lookup tables of Fukushima have only 64 elements, so that the z argument nearest zero is -1.0264389699511303e-26, that corresponds to a maximum Lambert /W/[sub -1] value of 64.0. Fukushima's implementation did not cater for z argument values that are smaller (nearer to zero), but this implementation adds code to accept smaller (but not denormalised) values of z. A crude approximation for these very small values is to take the exponent and multiply by ln[10] ~= 2.3. We also tried the approximation first proposed by Corless et al. using ln(-z), (equation 4.19 page 349) and then tried improving by a 2nd term -ln(ln(-z)), and finally the ratio term -ln(ln(-z))/ln(-z). For a z very close to z = -1.0264389699511303e-26 when W = 64, when effect of ln(ln(-z) term, and ratio L1/L2 is greatest, the possible 'guesses' are z = -1.e-26, w = -64.02, guess = -64.0277, ln(-z) = -59.8672, ln(-ln(-z) = 4.0921, llz/lz = -0.0684 whereas at the minimum (unnormalized) z z = -2.2250e-308, w = -714.9, guess = -714.9687, ln(-z) = -708.3964, ln(-ln(-z) = 6.5630, llz/lz = -0.0092 Although the addition of the 3rd ratio term did not reduce the number of Halley iterations needed, it might allow return of a better low precision estimate [*without any Halley iterations]. For the worst case near w = 64, the error in the 'guess' is 0.008, ratio 0.0001 or 1 in 10,000 digits 10 ~= 4. Two log evaluations are still needed, but is probably over an order of magnitude faster. Halley's method was then used to refine the estimate of Lambert /W/[sub -1] from this guess. Experiments showed that although all approximations reached with __ulp of the closest representable value, the computational cost of the log functions was easily paid by far fewer iterations (typically from 8 down to 4 iterations for double or float). [h5:halley Halley refinement] After obtaining a double approximation, for `double`, `long double` and `quad` 128-bit precision, a single iteration should suffice because Halley iteration should triple the precision with each step (as long as the function is well behaved - and it is), and since we have at least half of the bits correct already, one Halley step is ample to get to 128-bit precision. [h5:lambert_w_derivatives Lambert W Derivatives] The derivatives are computed using the formulae in [@https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lambert_W_function#Derivative Wikipedia]. [h4:testing Testing] Initial testing of the algorithm was done using a small number of spot tests. After it was established that the underlying algorithm (including unlimited Halley refinements with a tight terminating criterion) was correct, some tables of Lambert W values were computed using a 100 decimal digit precision __multiprecision `cpp_dec_float_100` type and saved as a C++ program that will initialise arrays of values of z arguments and lambert_W0 (`lambert_w_mp_high_values.ipp` and `lambert_w_mp_low_values.ipp` ). (A few of these pairs were checked against values computed by Wolfram Alpha to try to guard against mistakes; all those tested agreed to the penultimate decimal place, so they can be considered reliable to at least 98 decimal digits precision). A macro `BOOST_MATH_TEST_VALUE` was used to allow tests with any real type, both __fundamental_types and __multiprecision. (This is necessary because __fundamental_types have a constructor from floating-point literals like 3.1459F, 3.1459 or 3.1459L whereas __multiprecision types may lose precision unless constructed from decimal digits strings like "3.1459"). The 100-decimal digits precision pairs were then used to assess the precision of less-precise types, including __multiprecision `cpp_bin_float_quad` and `cpp_bin_float_50`. `static_cast`ing from the high precision types should give the closest representable value of the less-precise type; this is then be used to assess the precision of the Lambert W algorithm. Tests using confirm that over nearly all the range of z arguments, nearly all estimates are the nearest __representable value, a minority are within 1 __ulp and only a very few 2 ULP. [graph lambert_w0_errors_graph] [graph lambert_wm1_errors_graph] For the range of z arguments over the range -0.35 to 0.5, a different algorithm is used, but the same technique of evaluating reference values using a __multiprecision `cpp_dec_float_100` was used. For extremely small z arguments, near zero, and those extremely near the singularity at the branch point, precision can be much lower, as might be expected. See source at: [@../../example/lambert_w_simple_examples.cpp lambert_w_simple_examples.cpp] [@../../test/test_lambert_w.cpp test_lambert_w.cpp] contains routine tests using __boost_test. [@../../tools/lambert_w_errors_graph.cpp lambert_w_errors_graph.cpp] generating error graphs. [h5:quadrature_testing Testing with quadrature] A further method of testing over a wide range of argument z values was devised by Nick Thompson (cunningly also to test the recently written quadrature routines including __multiprecision !). These are definite integral formulas involving the W function that are exactly known constants, for example, LambertW0(1/(z[sup2]) == [sqrt](2[pi]), see [@https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lambert_W_function#Definite_integrals Definite Integrals]. Some care was needed to avoid overflow and underflow as the integral function must evaluate to a finite result over the entire range. [h5 Other implementations] The Lambert W has also been discussed in a [@http://lists.boost.org/Archives/boost/2016/09/230819.php Boost thread]. This also gives link to a prototype version by which also gives complex results [^(x < -exp(-1)], about -0.367879). [@https://github.com/CzB404/lambert_w/ Balazs Cziraki 2016] Physicist, PhD student at Eotvos Lorand University, ELTE TTK Institute of Physics, Budapest. has also produced a prototype C++ library that can compute the Lambert W function for floating point [*and complex number types]. This is not implemented here but might be completed in the future. [h4:acknowledgements Acknowledgements] * Thanks to Wolfram for use of their invaluable online Wolfram Alpha service. * Thanks for Mark Chapman for performing offline Wolfram computations. [h4:references References] # NIST Digital Library of Mathematical Functions. [@http://dlmf.nist.gov/4.13.F1]. # [@http://www.orcca.on.ca/LambertW/ Lambert W Poster], R. M. Corless, G. H. Gonnet, D. E. G. Hare, D. J. Jeffery and D. E. Knuth, On the Lambert W function Advances in Computational Mathematics, Vol 5, (1996) pp 329-359. # [@https://people.sc.fsu.edu/~jburkardt/f_src/toms443/toms443.html TOMS443], Andrew Barry, S. J. Barry, Patricia Culligan-Hensley, Algorithm 743: WAPR - A Fortran routine for calculating real values of the W-function,[br] ACM Transactions on Mathematical Software, Volume 21, Number 2, June 1995, pages 172-181.[br] BISECT approximates the W function using bisection (GNU licence). Original FORTRAN77 version by Andrew Barry, S. J. Barry, Patricia Culligan-Hensley, this version by C++ version by John Burkardt. # [@https://people.sc.fsu.edu/~jburkardt/f_src/toms743/toms743.html TOMS743] Fortran 90 (updated 2014). Initial guesses based on: # R.M.Corless, G.H.Gonnet, D.E.G.Hare, D.J.Jeffrey, and D.E.Knuth, On the Lambert W function, Adv.Comput.Math., vol. 5, pp. 329 to 359, (1996). # D.A. Barry, J.-Y. Parlange, L. Li, H. Prommer, C.J. Cunningham, and F. Stagnitti. Analytical approximations for real values of the Lambert W-function. Mathematics and Computers in Simulation, 53(1), 95-103 (2000). # D.A. Barry, J.-Y. Parlange, L. Li, H. Prommer, C.J. Cunningham, and F. Stagnitti. Erratum to analytical approximations for real values of the Lambert W-function. Mathematics and Computers in Simulation, 59(6):543-543, 2002. # C++ __CUDA version of Luu algorithm, [@https://github.com/thomasluu/plog/blob/master/plog.cu plog]. # __Luu_thesis, see routine 11, page 98 for Lambert W algorithm. # Having Fun with Lambert W(x) Function, Darko Veberic University of Nova Gorica, Slovenia IK, Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Germany, J. Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia. # Fran[ccedil]ois Chapeau-Blondeau and Abdelilah Monir, Numerical Evaluation of the Lambert W Function and Application to Generation of Generalized Gaussian Noise With Exponent 1/2, IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing, 50(9) (2002) 2160 - 2165. # Toshio Fukushima, Precise and fast computation of Lambert W-functions without transcendental function evaluations, Journal of Computational and Applied Mathematics, 244 (2013) 77-89. # T.C. Banwell and A. Jayakumar, Electronic Letter, Feb 2000, 36(4), pages 291-2. Exact analytical solution for current flow through diode with series resistance. [@https://doi.org/10.1049/el:20000301] # Princeton Companion to Applied Mathematics, 'The Lambert-W function', Section 1.3: Series and Generating Functions. # Cleve Moler, Mathworks blog [@https://blogs.mathworks.com/cleve/2013/09/02/the-lambert-w-function/#bfba4e2d-e049-45a6-8285-fe8b51d69ce7 The Lambert W Function] # Digital Library of Mathematical Function, [@https://dlmf.nist.gov/4.13 Lambert W function]. [endsect] [/section:lambert_w Lambert W function] [/ Copyright 2016 John Maddock, Paul A. Bristow, Thomas Luu, Nicholas Thompson. Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0. (See accompanying file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt). ]