Title: Symbolic and Numeric Computation of the Barnes Function Authors: Victor Adamchik Affiliation: Dept. Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon Univ. Abstract: The Barnes G function, defined by a functional equation as a generalization of the Euler gamma function, is used in many applications of pure and applied mathematics, and theoretical physics. The theory of the Barnes function has been related to certain spectral functions in mathematical physics, to the study of functional determinants of Laplacians of the n-sphere, to the Hecke L-functions, and to the Selberg zeta function. There is a wide class of definite integrals and infinite sums appeared in statistical physics (the Potts model) and lattice theory which can be computed by means of the G function. This talk presents new integral representations, asymptotic series and some special values of the Barnes function. An explicit representation by means of the Hurwitz zeta function and its relation to the determinants of Laplacians are also discussed. Finally, we propose an efficient numeric procedure for evaluating the G function.