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Clebsch-Gordan coefficients: General Expression Does Not Match Specific Expression

Mathematica Asked by nanofish on January 10, 2021

The expression ClebschGordan[{2, 0}, {4, 0}, {2, 0}] yields the correct result of Sqrt[2/7].

However the expression ClebschGordan[{2, 0}, {l2, 0}, {2, 0}]/. l2 -> 4 yields Indeterminate. Indeed, ClebschGordan[{2, 0}, {l2, 0}, {2, 0}] evaluates to an algebraic expression numerator/((-4 + l2) (2 - l2)!) where numerator/.l2 -> 4 evaluates to Sqrt[2/7]. This is indeed indeterminate.

Interestingly, the expression ClebschGordan[{l2, 0}, {2, 0}, {2, 0}] /. l2 -> 4 gives the correct result, and ClebschGordan[{l2, 0}, {2, 0}, {2, 0}] leads to a different algebraic expression that has the same values for 0<=l2<4 and the correct value for l2->4.

This would appear to be a minor bug, as it violates the simplest symmetry of the Clebsch-Gordan coefficients.

One Answer

An argument could be made that the result being returned by ClebschGordan[] is generically correct; that is, the expression that comes from the hypergeometric representation of the Clebsch-Gordan coefficient is correct except at a countable number of values.

In particular,

ClebschGordan[{2, 0}, {l2, 0}, {2, 0}] // FullSimplify
   Piecewise[{{(Sqrt[5] (-1 + l2) (2 + l2) (4 + l2) Sqrt[Gamma[5 - l2]/Gamma[6 + l2]])/
               ((-4 + l2) Gamma[3 - l2]), l2 ∈ Integers && 0 <= l2 <= 4}}, 0]

Looking at the expression inside the conditional,

Table[(Sqrt[5] (-1 + l2) (2 + l2) (4 + l2) Sqrt[Gamma[5 - l2]/Gamma[6 + l2]])/
      ((-4 + l2) Gamma[3 - l2]), {l2, 0, 4}]
   {1, 0, -Sqrt[2/7], 0, Indeterminate}

we do get the Indeterminate result noted in the OP, but you should also account for the following:

Limit[(Sqrt[5] (-1 + l2) (2 + l2) (4 + l2) Sqrt[Gamma[5 - l2]/Gamma[6 + l2]])/
      ((-4 + l2) Gamma[3 - l2]), l2 -> 4]
   Sqrt[2/7]

which is the expected answer. In short, the result is usually correct except at l2 = 4, and in that special case, a limit must be taken.

Answered by J. M.'s ennui on January 10, 2021

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