Poisson Summation in Heat Equation (Polar Coordinates)

In summary, the conversation is about following a derivation in a textbook on the two dimensional heat equation in polar coordinates. The derived equation, 10.5.80, is a geometric sum over integer m, based on the solution from Equation 10.5.79. The solution involves an infinite sum which is then broken up into two sums, and using the definition of a geometric sum leads to a different answer than what was expected. The person asking for advice suggests that there may be an error in the text, and eventually realizes that the error is in fact in the text.
  • #1
kamion42
5
0

Homework Statement



I'm currently trying to follow a derivation done by Shankar in his "Basic Training in Mathematics" textbook. The derivation is on pages 343-344 and it is based on the solution to the two dimensional heat equation in polar coordinates, and I'm not sure how he gets from one step to another.

Homework Equations



The derived equation in question is Equation 10.5.80:

##u(r,\theta) = \frac{1}{2\pi} \int_{0}^{2\pi} [\frac{a^{2}-r^{2}}{a^{2}+r^{2}-2ra\cos(\theta-\theta')}] u(a,\theta') d\theta'##

which he claims to be a straightforward geometric sum over integer ##\textit{m}## from Equation 10.5.79:

##u(r,\theta) = \sum_{m=-\infty}^\infty (\frac{r}{a})^{|m|} \int_{0}^{2\pi} e^{im(\theta-\theta')} u(a,\theta') d\theta'##.

The Attempt at a Solution



Trying to do the infinite sum, I first interchanged the summation and the integral to get:

##u(r,\theta) = \int_{0}^{2\pi} \sum_{m=-\infty}^\infty (\frac{r}{a})^{|m|} e^{im(\theta-\theta')} u(a,\theta') d\theta'##.

And then since the geometric summation is from negative infinity to positive infinity, I broke it up into two sums:

##u(r,\theta) = \int_{0}^{2\pi} u(a,\theta') d\theta' [\sum_{m=0}^\infty (\frac{r}{a} \times e^{i(\theta-\theta')})^{m} + \sum_{m=-\infty}^0 (\frac{r}{a} \times e^{-i(\theta-\theta')})^{-m} ]##

And then changing the negative sign on the second sum:

##u(r,\theta) = \int_{0}^{2\pi} u(a,\theta') d\theta' [\sum_{m=0}^\infty (\frac{r}{a} \times e^{i(\theta-\theta')})^{m} + \sum_{m=0}^\infty (\frac{r}{a} \times e^{-i(\theta-\theta')})^{m} ]##

Next, I use the definition of a geometric sum (assuming that ##|\frac{r}{a} \times e^{\pm i(\theta-\theta')}|## is less than 1,) and get:

##u(r,\theta) = \int_{0}^{2\pi} u(a,\theta') d\theta' [\frac{1}{1-\frac{r}{a}e^{i(\theta-\theta')}} + \frac{1}{1-\frac{r}{a}e^{-i(\theta-\theta')}}]##

And get after algebraic simplification:

##u(r,\theta) = \int_{0}^{2\pi} u(a,\theta') d\theta' [\frac{2(a^{2} -ra\cos(\theta - \theta'))}{a^{2}+r^{2}-2ra\cos(\theta - \theta')}]##

Which is different from the answer I was supposed to get by a factor of ##\frac{1}{2\pi}## and the numerator is off by a significant amount. Does anyone have any advice as to how to get a factor of ##2\pi##?

At one point at the end of the explanation, he says that the integral is "due to Poisson" but this has never been previously mentioned in the entire book. Maybe I am missing something?
 
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  • #2
I figured it out! There's an error in the text where they forgot to leave the ##\frac{1}{2\pi} ## in the numerator, and also I made an error in the summation earlier (counted zero twice!).
 

Related to Poisson Summation in Heat Equation (Polar Coordinates)

1. What is Poisson Summation in Heat Equation (Polar Coordinates)?

Poisson Summation in Heat Equation (Polar Coordinates) is a mathematical technique used to solve the heat equation in a polar coordinate system. It involves breaking down the solution into a sum of periodic functions and using the properties of these functions to find the solution.

2. How is Poisson Summation used in solving the heat equation?

Poisson Summation is used in solving the heat equation by transforming the equation into a spectral representation, where the solution is expressed as a sum of periodic functions. This allows for a more efficient and accurate solution compared to traditional numerical methods.

3. What are the advantages of using Poisson Summation in Heat Equation (Polar Coordinates)?

Some advantages of using Poisson Summation in Heat Equation (Polar Coordinates) include its ability to handle boundary conditions at infinity, its accuracy in capturing small scale features, and its convergence properties, meaning the solution approaches the exact solution as the number of terms in the sum increases.

4. Can Poisson Summation be used for other types of equations?

Yes, Poisson Summation can be used for other types of equations, such as the Laplace equation and the wave equation. It is a general technique for solving partial differential equations in a periodic domain.

5. Are there any limitations to using Poisson Summation in Heat Equation (Polar Coordinates)?

One limitation of using Poisson Summation in Heat Equation (Polar Coordinates) is that it is only applicable to problems with periodic boundary conditions. It also requires the solution to be smooth and well-behaved. Additionally, it may be computationally expensive for problems with a large number of terms in the sum.

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