A new basis for eigenmodes on the Sphere

Abstract

The usual spherical harmonics $Y_{\ell m}$ form a basis of the vector space ${\cal V} ^{\ell}$ (of dimension $2\ell+1$) of the eigenfunctions of the Laplacian on the sphere, with eigenvalue $\lambda_{\ell} = -\ell ~(\ell +1)$. Here we show the existence of a different basis $\Phi ^{\ell}_j$ for ${\cal V} ^{\ell}$, where $\Phi ^{\ell}_j(X) \equiv (X \cdot N_j)^{\ell}$, the $\ell ^{th}$ power of the scalar product of the current point with a specific null vector $N_j$. We give explicitly the transformation properties between the two bases. The simplicity of calculations in the new basis allows easy manipulations of the harmonic functions. In particular, we express the transformation rules for the new basis, under any isometry of the sphere. The development of the usual harmonics $Y_{\ell m}$ into thee new basis (and back) allows to derive new properties for the $Y_{\ell m}$. In particular, this leads to a new relation for the $Y_{\ell m}$, which is a finite version of the well known integral representation formula. It provides also new development formulae for the Legendre polynomials and for the special Legendre functions.