A novel representation for the Nuttall Q-function
Paschalis C. Sofotasios, Steven Freear · 2010
The aim of this work is the derivation of a novel explicit representation for the Nuttall Q-function, Qm,n(a,b). The Nuttall Q-function is a relatively new special function. Its usefulness in wireless communications is evident by its utilization in applications related to the field of digital communications over fading channels. It is denoted as Qm,n(a,b) and it was first proposed by A. H. Nuttall,as a generalisation of the Marcum Q-function, Qm(a,b). Consequently, M. K. Simon derived, a closed-form expression for Qm,n(a,b) in terms of Qm(a,b) and the modified Bessel function of the first kind, ln(x). This representation has a finite series form and is valid only for the case that the sum of its two order indices -m + n- is an odd integer.