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Feb13-13, 09:55 PM   #1
 

Spreading of a pulse as it propagates in a dispersive medium


Hello everyone!!
Im studying the spreading of a pulse as it propagates in a dispersive medium, from a well known book. My problem arise when i have to solve an expression.

Firstly i begin considering that a 1-dim pulse can be written as:


u(x,t) = 1/2*1/√2∏* ∫A(k)*exp(ikx-iw(k)t) dk + cc (complex conjugate)


and then i showed that A(k) can be express in terms of the initial values of the problem, taking into account that w(k)=w(-k) (isotropic medium):

A(k) = 1/√2∏ ∫ exp(-ikx) * (u(x,0) + i/w(k) * du/dt (x,0)) dx

I considered du/dt(x,0)=0 wich means that the problems involves 2 pulses with the same amplitud and velocity but oposite directions.
So A(k) takes the form:

A(k) = 1/√2∏ ∫ exp(-ikx) * u(x,0)

Now i take a Gaussian modulated oscilattion as the initial shape of the pulse:

u(x,0) = exp(-x^2/2L^2) cos(ko x)


Then the book says that we can easily reach to the expression:

A(k) = 1/√2∏ ∫ exp(-ikx) exp(-x^2/2L^2) cos (ko x) dx



= L/2 (exp(-(L^2/2) (k-ko)^2) + exp(-(L^2/2) (k+ko)^2)

How did he reach to this?? How can i solve this last integral???


Then, with the expression of A(k) into u(x,t) arise other problem. How can i solve this other integral.


Thank you very much for helping me!!
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