In mathematics, the Lambert W function, also called the omega function or product logarithm, is a multivalued function, namely the branches of the converse relation of the function f(w) = wew, where w is any complex number and ew is the exponential function. The function is named after Johann Lambert, who considered a related problem in 1758. Building on Lambert's work, Leonhard Euler described the W function per se in 1783.
Plot of the imaginary part of Wn(x + iy) for branches n = −2, −1, 0, 1, 2. The plot is similar to that of the multivalued complex logarithm function except that the spacing between sheets is not constant and the connection of the principal sheet is different
Image: Invert W
The range of the W function, showing all branches. The black curves (including the real axis) form the image of the real axis, the orange curves are the image of the imaginary axis. The purple curve is the image of a small circle around the point z = 0; the red curves are the image of a small circle around the point z = −1/e.
The exponential function is a mathematical function denoted by or . Unless otherwise specified, the term generally refers to the positive-valued function of a real variable, although it can be extended to the complex numbers or generalized to other mathematical objects like matrices or Lie algebras. The exponential function originated from the operation of taking powers of a number, but various modern definitions allow it to be rigorously extended to all real arguments , including irrational numbers. Its ubiquitous occurrence in pure and applied mathematics led mathematician Walter Rudin to consider the exponential function to be "the most important function in mathematics".
Image: Complex exponential function graph horn shape xvw dimensions
Image: Complex exponential function graph spiral shape yvw dimensions
