A systematic study is performed on the finite harmonic sums up to level four. These sums form the general basis for the Mellin transforms of all individual functions $f_i\mathrm{}\left(x\right)\mathrm{}$ of the momentum fraction x emerging in the quantities of massless QED and QCD up to two-loop order, as the unpolarized and polarized splitting functions, coefficient functions, and hard scattering cross sections for space and timelike momentum transfer. The finite harmonic sums are calculated explicitly in the linear representation. Algebraic relations connecting these sums are derived to obtain representations based on a reduced set of basic functions. The Mellin transforms of all the corresponding Nielsen functions are calculated.

• Received 5 October 1998

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.60.014018