Location via proxy:   [ UP ]  
[Report a bug]   [Manage cookies]                

Tut 4

Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
You are on page 1of 2

METHODS OF MATHEMATICAL PHYSICS

Dirac Delta; Green functions for ODE Tutorial Sheet 4


K: key question – explores core material
R: review question – an invitation to consolidate
C: challenge question – going beyond the basic framework of the course
S: standard question – general fitness training!

4.1 Dirac delta function [k]


1
(i) Show that δ(ax) = δ(x)
|a|
1
(ii) Show that δ(x2 − a2 ) = [δ(x + a) + δ(x − a)]
2|a|
(iii) What is xδ(x)? What is x δ 0 (x)?
Z ∞
(iv) Evaluate dx δ 0 (x2 − a2 )eiwx
−∞
(v) For a point r~0 on the unit sphere show that
1
δ(r̂ − r0 ) = δ(θ − θ0 )δ(φ − φ0 )
sin θ
where r̂ is a unit vector and θ, φ are speherical polar coordinates
4.2 Integral representation of step function [r]
Show that an integral representation of the Heaviside step function is given by
1 Z ∞−iγ eixk
θ(x) = dk
2πi −∞−iγ k
where γ > 0
4.3 Wronskian [k]
(i) Show in the case of a second order ODE
y 00 + p1 (x)y 0 + p0 (x)y = 0
that the Wronskian of two solutions Y1 (x), Y2 (x)
Y1 Y2
W (x) ≡
Y10 Y20
obeys
W 0 (x) = −p1 (x)W (x) .
(ii)* Show that the Wronskian of n solutions of an nth order ODE obeys
W 0 (x) = −pn−1 (x)W (x) .

4.4 Green Function [r]


Consider the equation for driven simple harmonic motion
y 00 (t) + w2 y(t) = f (t)
.
(i) Calculate the Wronskian using Abel’s formula. Given that one solution of the
homogeneous equation is Y1 (t) = sin wt, find a second linearly independent solu-
tion.
(ii) Using the Green Function method find a particular solution for the inhomoge-
neous equation with boundary conditions y(0) = y(π/2w) = 0.
(iii) Calculate the solution explicitly for f (t) = k sin αt.

4.5 Green function [k]


Construct the Green function for the problem

dy
y 00 (x) = f (x) for 0 < x < L ; y(0) = 0 ; =0
dx x=L

Write down the solution of the differential equation in terms of integrals over f (x), and
verify that your solution satisfies the differential equation and the boundary conditions.

4.6 Another Green function [s]


Construct the Green function for the problem

n2
( )
d dy
x − y(x) = f (x) for 0 < x < 1 ; y(0) bounded ; y(1) = 0
dx dx x

Treat the cases n = 0 and n 6= 0 separately. [ For n 6= 0, the equation is solved by x±n .]

4.7 Initial value problem [s]


Solve the initial value problem

d2 dy(t) dy(t)
2
y(t) + α = f (t) for y(0) = A =B
dt dt dt t=0

by constructing the solution in the form


Z t
y(t) = G(t, t0 )f (t0 )dt0 + ỹ(t)
0

where the first term satisfies homogeneous initial conditions.

M. R. Evans : October 30, 2005

You might also like