lambert_w


lambert_w, a MATLAB code which evaluates Lambert's W function.

Lambert's W function W(X) satisfies the equation

        W(x) * exp ( W(x) ) = x
      

The function is defined for -1/e <= x. There are two branches, joining at -1/e = x. The lower branch extends from -1/e <= x < 0 The upper branch extends from -1/e <= x The function is also known as the "Omega" function.

In Mathematica, the function can be evaluated by: W = ProductLog [ X ] In MATLAB, W = lambertw ( b, x ) In Python, W = scipy.special.lambertw ( x, b )

Licensing:

The computer code and data files made available on this web page are distributed under the MIT license

Languages:

lambert_w is available in a MATLAB version and an Octave version.

Related Data and Programs:

lambert_w_test

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Reference:

  1. Fred Fritsch, RE Shafer, WP Crowley,
    Algorithm 443: Solution of the Transcendental Equation W*exp(W)=X,
    Communications of the ACM,
    Volume 16, Number 1, February 1973, pages 123-124.
  2. Andrew Barry, S. J. Barry, Patricia Culligan-Hensley,
    Algorithm 743: WAPR - A Fortran routine for calculating real values of the W-function,
    ACM Transactions on Mathematical Software,
    Volume 21, Number 2, June 1995, pages 172-181.

Source Code:


Last revised on 19 June 2023.