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Tut 4

This document provides tutorial questions on methods of mathematical physics, including: 1) Properties of the Dirac delta function, such as how it transforms under linear transformations. 2) An integral representation of the Heaviside step function using a contour integral in the complex plane. 3) The Wronskian of solutions to ordinary differential equations and how it relates to the coefficients of the equation. 4) Using Green's functions to find particular solutions to inhomogeneous ordinary differential equations with specific boundary conditions. 5) Constructing Green's functions to solve boundary value problems for ordinary differential equations.

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46 views2 pages

Tut 4

This document provides tutorial questions on methods of mathematical physics, including: 1) Properties of the Dirac delta function, such as how it transforms under linear transformations. 2) An integral representation of the Heaviside step function using a contour integral in the complex plane. 3) The Wronskian of solutions to ordinary differential equations and how it relates to the coefficients of the equation. 4) Using Green's functions to find particular solutions to inhomogeneous ordinary differential equations with specific boundary conditions. 5) Constructing Green's functions to solve boundary value problems for ordinary differential equations.

Uploaded by

Max Ter
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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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

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