Calculate the Fourier transform of a product of three functions

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the Fourier transform of the product of three functions, specifically the expression \(\mathcal{F} \left[ f(x_{1}) g(x_{2}) h(x_{1} + x_{2}) \right]\). The transformation leads to a convolution represented as \(\dfrac{1}{2 \pi} \hat{f}(p) \ast \hat{g}(q) \ast \hat{h}(p+q)\). The user seeks clarification on how to compute the convolution of three functions, noting their understanding of two-function convolution but confusion regarding the integration process. The key takeaway is the associative property of convolution, allowing the computation of multiple convolutions in a single integral.

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parton
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I have a problem understanding the following:

I should calculate the Fourier transform of a product of three functions:

\mathcal{F} \left[ f(x_{1}) g(x_{2}) h(x_{1} + x_{2}) \right] = \int dx_{1} dx_{2} f(x_{1}) g(x_{2}) h(x_{1} + x_{2}) e^{i p x_{1} + i q x_{2}}

okay, and this goes over into a convolution:

= \dfrac{1}{2 \pi} \hat{f}(p) \ast \hat{g}(q) \ast \hat{h}(p+q) = \dfrac{1}{2 \pi} \int dk \hat{f}(p-k) \hat{g}(q-k) \hat{h}(k).

I know how to calculate the convolution between two functions, but here we have three and I don't undestand how to get to the last line here. Could somebody explain that to me, please?
 
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Pretty much the same way you extend the product of two numbers to three or the sum of two numbers to three. Writing f #g for the convolution of two functions, the convolution of three can be written (f#g)#h= f#(g#h).
 


ok, I start with:

\hat{g}(q) \ast \hat{h}(p+q) = \int dk ~ \hat{g}(p+q-k) \hat{h}(k)

But if I go further and calculate the second convolution, i.e. \hat{f}(p) \ast \hat{g}(q) \ast \hat{h}(p+q), I would get a second integral. But in the equation above there is just one. I don't understand that. Maybe it is trivial, but I just don't see what I have to do?
 

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