MT Lecture

Transport waves
I Non uniformTransport

I Nonuniformtransport
We are now interested in the more realistic scenario where the
with space that is we have c Cx
wave speed varies

Yet an
tn O 1

To solve this we shall use themethod of characteristics

c varies with X Do
We no longer expect them to be straight lines as

solution that doesn'tvary on some

The idea is to seek a

curve that is Utt Xlt

Propositin Solutions to Eg a are constants along the characteristic

carves sects that solve the ODE

f CHCH C

then Utt Xlt hct is constant i.e

That is if it satisfies EqCc
is constantDo
This doesnt say that
u
important
dd 0 Very

Chain Rule u h
l I
Gtf Utt Ux H t x
c
Thishappens
Ux on CC
Utt Ux t
0 by Eq CD
 With this proposition in hand we proceed to elaborate on the

general solution let's first solve EgCc

a firstorder ODE by separating
variables

Assume first CCH 1 0

tt k calling the antiderivative

dt Jd
side Bex
we get
on the left
BCx t t be
B monotone
now write an eeg for the
is invertible we can
Assuming BC
characteristics curries in general
XHt PYttk
Now if I x s t.cat O then X is called a fixed point of
is a stationary characteristic
X Ext tt
EqCc In this case

curve
these characteristics Assume Now that
Now back to thesolution on
is complemented
EqCD
with
characteristic curve

are
n.or.kr B u is constant here
EsEIiixEtImtIIiiietfIam

A thissays that the

attire u Btn f B 4h7 solution is a function
K for of thecharacterist
for BH H
I act variable f Paa t

D for thisto work the axis where the initial

characteristics must intersect
this that the solution is
data is given In case we
say
prescribed by the intial data
 aux 0 ult o x fix MER t 0
Examples Solve at
0 t o
The e equation is case D n
la se a 0
la la
solve this to get Bex
f dz
e
we
dy x

eux t th n et.ec
EekIE
M es Solution t
Leleux
acting f
t
f n e

initial cos fid

data
here of thisputtin
Active exercise
ya ca

t
Dotheasesy
Sketch
solution
all chars
fig 1 write
exist everywhere
too Does the solution
Solve Utt ai Dun o

x
alo x e

c is
The characteristics Eg if
we have fixed
points which means
x2 1 If x 1
there all time
we start x 11 we stay
we get
If Il Pix Using partial fractions
X
9g k
So Bix In It I t t
Bex In l
coses
tt k To invent B consider
x B
III 0 7
coset When x e Regions I 3,1
See fig2 below
pix Itn Matt B ex HIE Active Exercise check this
1 em
co
Case 2 when x C Region I 3
check
But Llnl'Ifu B in
life
act the
I I X P Cttk Lte
In regions L ext 1k
in region I X
Lt e2Cttk

Let's sketch those observe something IMPORTANT

n

x I Eso

x H

lex Ll t O

I t

x I

XL I t o

this special curve ident

intercept the X axis anymore
This happens for 14
0

i e lx
fig
Indeed as t Ot Xv
not
Domain
Solution is ONLYdefined as long as x It too
1 est
 reach x axis
here all chars can
t
T É

I fig3
uit x e
CNET.ie
On this domain our solution is
ult x Ye when X I
Check
and
leg

Snapshotsofsolutinst

From
P Olver
page29

If
fitttifrmope forget
CCx is continuously differentiable for ever Lipschitz
continuous then
IT
thru It x ER
1 there's auniquecharacteristic curve passing
2 Characteristics do
not cross t Bath
so are all horizontal translates
3 If pix is a characteristic then HK
characteristic is the graphof a strictlymonotone
4 Each non horizontal direction can never
will move in the same
function Eachpoint on a wave
reverse
0 or WH I D as
5 As t to not ok fixed when dat
to or in finitetime