What is Dirac delta: Definition and 333 Discussions

In mathematics, the Dirac delta function (δ function) is a generalized function or distribution, a function on the space of test functions. It was introduced by physicist Paul Dirac. It is called a function, although it is not a function R → C.
It is used to model the density of an idealized point mass or point charge as a function equal to zero everywhere except for zero and whose integral over the entire real line is equal to one. No function has these properties, such that the computations made by theoretical physicists appeared to mathematicians as nonsense until the introduction of distributions by Laurent Schwartz to formalize and validate the computations. As a distribution, the Dirac delta function is a linear functional that maps every function to its value at zero. The Kronecker delta function, which is usually defined on a discrete domain and takes values 0 and 1, is a discrete analog of the Dirac delta function.
In engineering and signal processing, the delta function, also known as the unit impulse symbol, may be regarded through its Laplace transform, as coming from the boundary values of a complex analytic function of a complex variable. The convolution of a (theoretical) signal with a Dirac delta can be thought of as a stimulation that includes all frequencies. This leads to a resonance with the signal, making the theoretical signal "real" (i.e. causal). The formal rules obeyed by this function are part of the operational calculus, a standard tool kit of physics and engineering. In many applications, the Dirac delta is regarded as a kind of limit (a weak limit) of a sequence of functions having a tall spike at the origin (in theory of distributions, this is a true limit). The approximating functions of the sequence are thus "approximate" or "nascent" delta functions.

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  1. A

    Understanding the Dirac Delta Distribution

    So I've been told that the Dirac delta functional is a distribution, but I don't see why that's the case. I had an introduction to distributions in my calculus IV course, but as I remember it, a distribution involves and integral containing a the product of a function from the Schwartz space and...
  2. M

    Laplace transform - Dirac delta

    i need help trying to find the laplace transform of te-t\delta(t) i know the laplace transform of te-t is 1/(s+1)2 but i don't know how to find the laplace transform of a product with the Dirac delta
  3. S

    Is the Dirac Delta Function Even?

    Hi this is my first post here so I'm sorry if my question seems trivial. I haven't worked a lot with the dirac delta function before, so i always thought that the shifting property would only work as: \int\delta(x-h)\;f(x)\;dx=f(h) Now I've been reading some articles and I came across...
  4. F

    Information content of Dirac delta function

    I understand that the Dirac delta function can be taken as a distribution. And that one can calculate the Shannon entropy or information content of any distribution. So what is the information content of the Dirac delta function? I think it is probably identically zero, but I'd like to see the...
  5. S

    Two proofs in Dirac Delta Function

    Homework Statement a.) Given \delta_n=\frac{ne^{-{n^2}{x^2}}}{\pi} Show: x{\frac{d}{dt}\delta_n}=-\delta_n b.) For the finite interval (\pi,-\pi) expand the dirac delta function \delta(x-t) in sines and cosines, sinnx, cosnx, n=1,2,3... They are not orthogonal, they are normalized to...
  6. H

    Line charge density expressed via Dirac delta function

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  7. H

    Help Understanding Dirac Delta Function in Lecture Notes

    I don't understand in the first paragraph of the attached lecture notes. Could anyone help?
  8. R

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  9. F

    Multivariable Dirac Delta Functions

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  10. L

    Fourier Transform and Dirac Delta Function

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  11. C

    Derivation of Dirac Delta Function

    Hello, My question is about how dirac-delta function is derived by using this integral, \frac{1}{2\pi }\int_{-\infty}^{\infty}e^{ikx}dk=\delta (x) I couldn't solve this integral. Please help me. Thanks for all of your helps.
  12. H

    Dirac delta integrated from 0 to infinity

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  13. M

    Plotting Dirac Delta Function in Maple14: Troubleshooting

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  14. W

    Proofs for Dirac delta function/distribution

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  15. V

    Integral of dirac delta function at x=0

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  16. L

    Please help with Quantum Mechanics Dirac Delta Problems

    These problems are from Introductory Quantum Mechanics (Liboff, 4th Ed.) Note: I'm using "D" as the dirac delta function. 3.9 (a) Show that D( sqrt(x) ) = 0 This has me stumped. It is my understanding that the Dirac function is 0, everywhere, except at x=0. So, how can I show this to be...
  17. A

    Power expansion of the Dirac Delta function?

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  18. pellman

    Dividing both sides by a Dirac delta function - ok?

    Suppose I wind up with the relation f(x)\delta (x-x')=g(x)\delta (x-x') true for all x'. Can I safely conclude that f(x) = g(x) (for all x)? Or am I overlooking something? this is a little too close to dividing both sides by zero for comfort.
  19. S

    Signals - Integration of Heavyside Step & Dirac Delta Functions

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  20. V

    Using Dirac Delta Function to Determine Point Mass Density

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  21. K

    Dirac Delta Function: Application & Uses

    how do we apply dirac delta function?when do we apply?
  22. J

    Dirac Delta in polar coordinates

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  23. D

    Prove Idntity - Dirac Delta - Distributions

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  24. A

    Ramp function, Dirac delta function and distributions

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  25. L

    Shankar CH1 Derivative of Dirac delta

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  26. F

    Integration of Dirac delta w/ different dimensionalities

    Hi! The Dirac delta satisfies \int dx f(x) \delta(x-a) = f(a) But how about \int d^3x f(x) \delta^{(4)}(x-a) Here, x and a are four-momenta, and the integral is over the regular 3-dim momentum. How does the delta behave here?
  27. C

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  28. D

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  29. E

    Dirac Delta Function: Definition &amp; Samples

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  30. D

    Dirac Delta Scaling: Solving the Integral Equation

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  31. K

    Dirac delta function as the limit of a seqquence

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  32. E

    Evaluating Dirac Delta Integrals: Homework Statement

    Homework Statement Evaluate the following integrals: \int^{+\infty}_{-\infty}\delta[f(x)]dx and \int^{+\infty}_{-\infty}\delta[f(x)]g(x)dx Homework Equations \int^{+\infty}_{-\infty}\delta(x)dx=1 \int^{+\infty}_{-\infty}\delta(x)f(x)dx=f(0) \int^{+\infty}_{-\infty}\delta(x-a)f(x)dx=f(a)The...
  33. F

    Dominate Convergence Theorem for the Dirac delta function

    I'm trying to understand the multiple limit processes involved with the Dirac delta function. Does it matter which process you do first the integral or the delta parameter that approaches zero? The closest theorem I found that addresses the order of taking limits is the Dominate Convergence...
  34. pellman

    Complex integral representation of Dirac delta function?

    We all know that \frac{1}{2\pi}\int{e^{ik(x-x')}dk=\delta(x-x'). i am working a problem which appears to depend on the statement \int e^{z^*(z-w)}dz^*\propto\delta(z-w) Does anyone know if this is valid? \delta(z-w) is defined in the usual way so that...
  35. K

    Integration of dirac delta composed of function of integration variable

    Hi all, I'm working through Chandrasekhar's http://prola.aps.org/abstract/RMP/v15/i1/p1_1" and can not understand the steps to progress through Eq. (66) in Chapter 1. The integral is: \prod^{N}_{j=1} \frac{1}{l^{3}_{j}|\rho|}\int^{\infty}_{0} sin(|\rho|r_{j})r_{j}\delta...
  36. F

    Product of dirac delta distributions

    I'm told that a product of distributions is undefined. See, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distribution_(mathematics)#Problem_of_multiplication where the Dirac delta function is considered a distribution. Now the Dirac delta function is defined such that, \[ \int_{ - \infty }^{ +...
  37. A

    Understanding the Dirac Delta Potential: Exploring Its Integral Properties

    why in the problem of dirac delta potential, the integral \int^{\epsilon}_{-\epsilon}\phi''(x)dx is equal to \phi'(\epsilon)-\phi'(-\epsilon)? but \int^{\epsilon}_{-\epsilon}\phi(x)dx is equal to 0 if, for example\phi(x)=e^x then \phi(x)''=\phi(x) but, the firts integral is...
  38. V

    Dirac delta function evaluation

    I do not know how to execute the problem with the 2x in the problem. Evaluate the integral: \int_{-4}^{4} (x^2+2x+1) \delta(2x) dx
  39. H

    Integral of Exp(I x) and the Dirac Delta

    I am trying to see why exactly the momentum eignenstates for a free particle are orthogonal. Simply enough, one gets: \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} e^{i (k-k_0) x} dx = \delta(k-k0) I can see why, if k=k0, this integral goes to zero. But if they differ, I don't see why it goes to zero. You have...
  40. S

    Simplifying the integral of dirac delta functions

    hello all, i am unaware of how to handle a delta function. from what i read online the integral will be 1 from one point to another since at zero the "function" is infinite. overall though i don't think i know the material well enough to trust my answer. and help on how to take the integral of...
  41. E

    How do I convert f(x) into its Fourier Transform?

    Homework Statement I am really confused in my electrodynamics class. I have the following function. f(x) = \delta (x + \alpha ) + \delta(x -\alpha) How do i convert this into Fourier Tranform ? Those are dirac delta functions on either sides of the origin. Homework Equations...
  42. H

    Understanding Dirac Delta Squares: Clarifying Doubts

    hi, may someone help me to clarify my doubts... in my work, i encounter diracdelta square \delta(x-x_1)\delta(x-x_2) i am not sure what it means... it seems if i integrate it \int dx \;\delta(x-x_1)\delta(x-x_2) = \delta(x_1-x_2) is either zero of infinity. is this correct? thanks
  43. I

    Square root of Dirac Delta function

    Homework Statement I wonder how to deal with the square root of Dirac Delta function, \sqrt{\delta(x)}. Actually, this comes from a problem which asking readers to calculate the wave function of a free particle and of a harmonic oscillator at time t, provided that the wave function at time...
  44. A

    Line of charge as a volume charge dist. (w/ Dirac delta fcn.)

    How would you write an infinite line charge with constant charge per unit length \lambda as a volume charge density using Dirac delta functions? Perhaps in cylindrical coordinates? I'm confused because if you integrate this charge distribution over all space, you should get an infinite amount...
  45. S

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    I know that this question was posted before but I just couldn't get it using another way around. So your comments are highly appreciated. In the textbook, \nabla\bullet\left(\widehat{r}/r^{2}\right)=4\pi\delta^{3}\left(r\right). But when I want to calculate the divergence using Catesian...
  46. A

    Dirac delta function is continuous and differential

    since dirac delta function is not a literally a function but a limit of function,does it mean that dirac delta function is continuous and differentiable through out the infinity? is there any example of dirac delta function if yes then give meeeeeeee?
  47. T

    Integral over a sphere with the dirac delta function

    Homework Statement \[ \underset{\left|\underline{\xi}\right|=1}{\int}\delta_{0}\left(\underline{\xi}\cdot\underline{z}\right)dS_{\xi}=\intop_{0}^{2\pi}d\varphi\intop_{-r}^{+r}\delta_{0}\left(\varsigma\right)\frac{d\varsigma}{r}=\frac{2\pi}{r}\] The \delta_{0} is the dirac delta function.the...
  48. T

    Integral Over a Sphere with dirac delta function

    Hi, I am not really sure whether its over the surface of the sphere or the Volume, the problem and the solution are given below, I want to know how it has been solved. The \delta_{0} is the dirac delta function. \[...
  49. J

    An identity involving a Dirac delta function.

    I have been reading papers for my research and I came across this equation twice: \lim_{\eta\to 0+}\frac{1}{x+i \eta} = P\left(\frac{1}{x}\right) - i \pi \delta(x) Where P is the pricipal part. It has been quite a while since I have had complex variables, but might it come from the...
  50. M

    Dirac Delta Integration Problem

    Homework Statement \int_{-\infty}^t (cos \tau)\delta(\tau) d\tau Evaluate the integral. I'm supposed to evaluate this for all t I believe, so I'm concerned with t<0, t=0, t>0. Homework Equations \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} f(x)\delta(x) dx = f(0) The Attempt at a Solution...
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