Harmonic Oscillator with Additional Repulsive Cubic Force: Solutions and Study

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on solving a harmonic oscillator problem with an additional repulsive cubic force, represented by the potential U(q1)=k/2*q1² - k'q1⁴. The original poster is seeking help with the integral solution for the system, having attempted trigonometric substitution without success. A response suggests transforming the variables to simplify the equation into a form resembling the Jacobi elliptic integral of the first kind. This approach may provide a pathway to find both periodic and non-periodic solutions. The conversation highlights the challenges of tackling complex integrals in classical mechanics.
Miesvama
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Hi all,

this is my first time on PF.

I do not know English but I have a problem of a harmonic oscillator.
I have rather large head, help me please , I do not know what else to do ...
I have this problem:

Consider the harmonic oscillator with an additional repulsive
cubic force, whose potential is U(q1)=\frac{k}{2}*q1^{2} - k'q1^{4}, (k, k > 0), and study all
possible solutions, periodic and non-periodic.

I do know the Hamiltonian and the equation solution of the system, giving

q1*=\sqrt{1/2}\int(dq1/\sqrt{(E/m)-U(q1)})

I tried to do it by trigonometric substitution but does not work, i do not know if anyone could give me some idea of how I can solve, I'll be very grateful.
 
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Miesvama said:
Hi all,

this is my first time on PF.

I do not know English but I have a problem of a harmonic oscillator.
I have rather large head, help me please , I do not know what else to do ...
I have this problem:

Consider the harmonic oscillator with an additional repulsive
cubic force, whose potential is U(q1)=\frac{k}{2}*q1^{2} - k'q1^{4}, (k, k > 0), and study all
possible solutions, periodic and non-periodic.

I do know the Hamiltonian and the equation solution of the system, giving

q1*=\sqrt{1/2}\int(dq1/\sqrt{(E/m)-U(q1)})

I tried to do it by trigonometric substitution but does not work, i do not know if anyone could give me some idea of how I can solve, I'll be very grateful.

Hi. Nobody else has responded to your question, so I guess I'll give it a try.

The equation that I think you meant is this:

t = \sqrt{m/2}\int(dq1/\sqrt{E-U(q1)})

If we change to new variables x and s where
x = A q1 and s = B t, where A and
B are constants, we can choose the constants to make the
equation look like this:

t = \int(dx/\sqrt{(1-x^2)(1- \lambda^2 x^2)}

where \lambda is yet another constant.

That's called the "Jacobi form of the incomplete elliptic integral of the first kind", F(s;\lambda).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacobi..._of_nonlinear_ordinary_differential_equations
 
Thank you.. :D
 
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