Fourier transform for the wave vector dervation problem

In summary, the conversation discusses using Fourier transforms to solve the Maxwell equations and the challenges of obtaining a transform for the wave vector and position. The steps for obtaining the Fourier series are provided and the conversation concludes with an integration of the series, leading to the use of a limit as L goes to infinity and the introduction of a new variable, g(k), resulting in the final equation of f(x) = 1/2pi * integral from -infinity to infinity of g(k)e^(ikx).
  • #1
fisher garry
63
1
Below is my walkthrough of a Fourier transform. My problem is that I want to do all the similar steps for a Fourier transform between position x and the wave vector k. That is working on a solution of the maxwell equations. The maxwell equations has many possible solutions for example:

$$ cos(kx-\omega t)+isin(kx - \omega t)$$

But I don't know how to start up with it in a sum of cos and sin and end up with a transform. One of the problems that I see is that I don't have any denumerator like L that can go to infinity. I have added all the steps below because I need a directly point to where I must change something in order to get the Fourier transform for the wave vector and position. Look for the bold part below for my main problem to get to the problem with the L, Just scroll down there to get directly to the question. The rest of the text is just to avoid overlooking any linear additions and arrangments that might be the problem.

$$
\int_{-L}^{L}\sin\frac{2m\pi}{L}t\, dt=0 \tag A
$$

$$
\int_{-L}^{L}\cos\frac{2m\pi}{L}t\, dt=0
$$$$
\int_{-L}^{L}\frac{1}{2}\left[\cos\frac{2n
\pi}{L}t\sin\frac{2m\pi}{L}t\right] \,dt
$$

Using standard trigonometric relations:

\begin{align}
\frac{1}{2}\int_{-L}^{L}(\frac{2m
\pi}{L}-\frac{2n
\pi}{L})t + sin(\frac{2m
\pi}{L}+\frac{2n
\pi}{L})t dt\\
\end{align}

\begin{align}
\frac{1}{2}\int_{-L}^{L}sin(\frac{2
\pi}{L}(m-n))t + sin(\frac{2
\pi}{L}(m+n))t dt\\
\end{align}

For m=n

\begin{align}
\frac{1}{2}\int_{-L}^{L} 0 + sin(\frac{2
\pi}{L}(2m))t dt=0\\
\end{align}

$$ m\neq n $$ We have the same integral as in (A) which is zero for integers m,n

\begin{align}
\int_{-L}^{L}\frac{1}{2}[sin\frac{2n
\pi}{L}tsin\frac{2m\pi}{L}t] dt\\
\end{align}

Using standard trigonometric relations:

\begin{align}
\frac{1}{2}\int_{-L}^{L}cos(\frac{2m
\pi}{L}-\frac{2n
\pi}{L})t - (\frac{2m
\pi}{L}+\frac{2n
\pi}{L})t dt \ \ \ (B) \\
\end{align}

\begin{align}
\frac{1}{2}\int_{-L}^{L}cos(\frac{2
\pi}{L}(m-n))t - (\frac{2m
\pi}{L}(m+n))t dt\\
\end{align}

for $$ m \neq n $$ we get sine when it is inegrated and it is 0 for all + and - of integers m,n

when m=n m+n becomes 0 as well for the same reason as when $ m \neq n $

but for m-n

\begin{align}
\frac{1}{2}\int_{-L}^{L}cos(\frac{2
\pi}{L})t dt=\frac{1}{2}\int_{-L}^{L}1 dt=L\\
\end{align}

since cos0=1
\begin{align}
\int_{-L}^{L}\frac{1}{2}[cos\frac{2n
\pi}{L}tcos\frac{2m\pi}{L}t] dt\\
\end{align}

Using standard trigonometric relations:

\begin{align}
\frac{1}{2}\int_{-L}^{L}cos(\frac{2m
\pi}{L}+\frac{2n
\pi}{L})t + cos(\frac{2m
\pi}{L}-\frac{2n
\pi}{L})t dt\\
\end{align}

for similar reasoning as in (B) $$ m \neq n $$ everything is 0

for m=n

\begin{align}
\frac{1}{2}\int_{-L}^{L}cos(\frac{2m
\pi}{L}-\frac{2n
\pi}{L})t dt = \frac{1}{2}\int_{-L}^{L} 1 dt\\
\end{align}
The Fourier series are given by:

$$f(x)=\sum_{=0}^{\infty}a_n'cos(nx)$$ + $$\sum_{n=0}^{\infty}b_n'sin(nx)$$$$f(x)= \frac{1}{2}a_0 + $$ $$\sum_{=1}^{\infty}a_ncos(nx)$$ + $$\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}b_nsin(nx) \ \ \ (C)$$

Multipying with $$ cos\frac{k\pi x}{L} $$

$$f(x)cos\frac{k\pi x}{L}=cos\frac{k\pi x}{L} \frac{1}{2}a_0 + $$ $$\sum_{=1}^{\infty}cos\frac{k\pi x}{L}a_ncos\frac{n\pi x}{L}$$ + $$\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}cos\frac{k\pi x}{L}b_nsin\frac{n\pi x}{L} \ \ \ (C)$$

Putting integration signs on both sides and using trigonometric relations above we obtain

$$\int_{-L}^{L}f(x)cos\frac{k\pi x}{L} dx=\int_{-L}^{L}cos\frac{k\pi x}{L} \frac{1}{2}a_0 dx + $$ $$\int_{-L}^{L}\sum_{=1}^{\infty}cos\frac{k\pi x}{L}a_ncos\frac{n\pi x}{L} dx$$ + $$\int_{-L}^{L}\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}cos\frac{k\pi x}{L}b_nsin\frac{n\pi x}{L} dx\ \ \ $$

$$\int_{-L}^{L}cos\frac{k\pi x}{L} \frac{1}{2}a_0 dx =0$$

$$\int_{-L}^{L}\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}cos\frac{k\pi x}{L}b_nsin\frac{n\pi x}{L} dx=0$$$$a_k=\frac{1}{L}\int_{-L}^{L} f(x)cos\frac{k\pi x}{L} dx (D) $$

if we instad multiply with $$ sin\frac{k\pi x}{L} $$ and doing the same I obtain

$$b_k=\frac{1}{L}\int_{-L}^{L} f(x)sin\frac{k\pi x}{L} dx (E) $$

Normal complex number relation:

$$ e^{in\frac{\pi x}{L}}=cos\frac{n\pi x}{L} + isin\frac{n\pi x}{L} $$

from symmetry:

$$ e^{-in\frac{\pi x}{L}}=cos\frac{n\pi x}{L} - isin\frac{n\pi x}{L} $$

addition and subtraction from theese two equations gives:

$$ e^{in\frac{\pi x}{L}}+e^{-in\frac{\pi x}{L}}=2cos x $$

$$ e^{in\frac{\pi x}{L}}-e^{-in\frac{\pi x}{L}}=2isin x $$

$$ a_ncos\frac{n\pi x}{L} + b_nsin\frac{n\pi x}{L}=\frac{a_n}{2}(e^{in\frac{\pi x}{L}}+e^{-in\frac{\pi x}{L}})+\frac{b_n}{i2}(e^{in\frac{\pi x}{L}}-e^{-in\frac{\pi x}{L}}) $$

using $$ \frac{1}{i}=-i $$

$$ a_ncos\frac{n\pi x}{L} + b_nsin\frac{n\pi x}{L}=(\frac{a_n}{2}-\frac{b_n}{i2})e^{in\frac{\pi x}{L}}+(\frac{a_n}{2}+\frac{b_n}{i2})e^{-in\frac{\pi x}{L}}) $$
$$ c_n=\frac{a_n}{2}-\frac{b_ni}{2} \\\ c_n*=\frac{a_n}{2}+\frac{b_ni}{2} $$

We can now rewrite the Fourier series:

$$f(x)= \frac{1}{2}a_0 + $$ $$\sum_{=1}^{\infty}a_ncos\frac{n\pi x}{L}$$ + $$\sum_{n=1}^{\infty}b_nsin\frac{n\pi x}{L} \ \ \ =\frac{1}{2}a_0 + $$ $$\sum_{=1}^{\infty}c_ne^{in\frac{\pi x}{L}}+c_n*e^{-in\frac{\pi x}{L}}) $$

if we let the last part go from $$ -\infty$$ to -1 we can redifine the name of the constants keeping in mind that $$e^0=1$$ for $$c_0=\frac{1}{2}a_0$$ and get:

$$f(x)= \sum_{-\infty}^{\infty}c_ne^{in\frac{\pi x}{L}} \ \ \ (F) $$

using (D):

$$c_0=\frac{a_k}{2}=\frac{1}{2L}\int_{-L}^{L} f(x) dx (G) $$

$$c_n=\frac{1}{2}(a_n-ib_n)=\frac{1}{2L}\int_{-L}^{L} f(x)cos\frac{k\pi x}{L} - if(x)sin\frac{k\pi x}{L} dx $$

$$c_n=\frac{1}{2}(a_n-ib_n)=\frac{1}{2L}\int_{-L}^{L} f(x)e^{-\frac{k\pi x}{L}} dx \ \ \ (H) $$

$$c_n*=\frac{1}{2}(a_n+ib_n)=\frac{1}{2L}\int_{-L}^{L}f(x) e^{\frac{k\pi x}{L}} dx $$

by letting n=-1,-2,-3..

$$c_n*=\frac{1}{2}(a_n+ib_n)=\frac{1}{2L}\int_{-L}^{L}f(x) e^{-\frac{k\pi x}{L}} dx \ \ \ (I) $$

similar as for the discrete case we get by adding (G), (H) and (I):

$$c_n=\frac{1}{2L}\int_{-L}^{L}f(x) e^{-\frac{k\pi x}{L}} dx \ \ \ for -\infty<n<\infty $$

using (F) we get

$$f(x)= \sum_{-\infty}^{\infty}\frac{1}{2L}\int_{-L}^{L} e^{-\frac{k\pi x}{L}}e^{in\frac{\pi x}{L}} \ \ \ $$

Here is where L goes to infinity don't know what to do for the wave vector

Letting $$ L\rightarrow \infty $$

$$f(x)= \lim_{L\to \infty}\sum_{n=-\infty}^{\infty}\frac{1}{2L}\int_{-L}^{L}f(x') e^{-\frac{k\pi x}{L}}e^{in\frac{\pi x}{L}} \ \ \ $$

$$ \frac{\delta k}{2\pi}=\frac{1}{L} $$

$$f(x)= \lim_{\delta k\to 0}\sum_{n=-\infty}^{\infty}\frac{\delta k}{2 \pi}\int_{-\frac{\pi}{\delta k}}^{\frac{\pi}{\delta k}}f(x') e^{-in \delta k x}e^{in\delta k x} \ \ \ $$

$$g(k)=f(x') e^{-ikx'} dx'\ \ \ $$

$$ k=n\delta k$$

And then add the sigma sum like an integral

$$f(x)= \frac{1}{2 \pi}\int_{-\infty}^{\infty}g(k)e^{ik x} \ \ \ $$
 
Last edited:
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  • #2
Z
fisher garry said:
LLsin2mπLtdt=0(A) \int_{-L}^{L}\sin\frac{2m\pi}{L}t\, dt=0

It seems as if you are "going twice around". In my experience, the correct integrals would be: [itex] \int_{-L}^{L}sin(\frac{m\pi}{L}t )dt = 0[/itex] etc.
 
  • #3
Yes I do get that it would be one round to much. Thank you for sorting that out. I have found a Fourier transform online that seems to be related to the wavelength of an EM wave bt I have ran into a problem there as well:

How can they let h go to 0 when $ h=\frac{2 \pi}{\lambda}$
when they do Fourier transforms for Heisenberg for example where they look at EM waves that has very small $\lambda$

This is the site I am referring to:
http://www.jpoffline.com/physics_docs/y2s4/cvit_ft_derivation.pdf
 

Related to Fourier transform for the wave vector dervation problem

1. What is the Fourier transform for the wave vector derivation problem?

The Fourier transform for the wave vector derivation problem is a mathematical tool used to decompose a function or signal into its component frequencies. It is particularly useful in analyzing waves and their properties, such as wave vectors, which are used to describe the direction and magnitude of a wave's propagation.

2. How is the Fourier transform used to solve wave vector derivation problems?

The Fourier transform allows us to convert a function or signal from the time or spatial domain to the frequency domain. This makes it easier to analyze the different frequencies present in a wave and determine its wave vector. By taking the inverse Fourier transform, we can then convert back to the time or spatial domain with the wave vector information included.

3. What are the applications of Fourier transform in wave vector derivation problems?

The Fourier transform has many applications in wave vector derivation problems, including in fields such as optics, acoustics, and signal processing. It is used to analyze the properties of waves and signals, such as their amplitudes, frequencies, and phases, which can then be used to determine the wave vector and other characteristics of the wave.

4. Are there any limitations to using Fourier transform for wave vector derivation?

While Fourier transform is a powerful tool for analyzing waves and signals, it does have limitations. One limitation is that it assumes the wave is infinitely long, which may not always be the case in real-world scenarios. Additionally, it is not suitable for analyzing waves with discontinuities or sharp changes in amplitude.

5. Are there any alternatives to Fourier transform for wave vector derivation?

Yes, there are alternative methods for wave vector derivation, such as the Wavelet transform or the Hilbert transform. These methods have different strengths and may be more suitable for certain types of waves or signals. It is important to choose the appropriate tool based on the specific problem at hand.

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