How Do You Solve PDEs Using Polar Coordinates?

[Dustinsfl]

Solving a PDE with Polar coordinates

yu_x-xu_y=0

x=r\cos{\theta} \ \mbox{and} \ y=r\sin{\theta}

u(r,\theta)

Does u_x\Rightarrow u_r \ \mbox{or} \ u_{\theta} \ \mbox{and why?}

Thanks.

 

[HallsofIvy]

Use the chain rule.

\frac{\partial u}{\partial x}= \frac{\partial r}{\partial x}\frac{\partial u}{\partial r}+ \frac{\partial \theta}{\partial x}\frac{\partial u}{\partial \theta}
and
\frac{\partial u}{\partial y}= \frac{\partial r}{\partial y}\frac{\partial u}{\partial r}+ \frac{\partial \theta}{\partial y}\frac{\partial u}{\partial \theta}


Since r= (x^2+ y^2)^{1/2},
\frac{\partial r}{\partial x}= \frac{1}{2}(x^2+ y^2)^{-1/2}(2x)
= \frac{x}{(x^2+ y^2)^{1/2}}= \frac{r cos(\theta)}{r}= cos(\theta)[/itex]<br /> and<br /> \frac{\partial r}{\partial y}= \frac{1}{3}(x^2+ y^2)^}{-1/2}(2x)<br /> = \frac{y}{(x^2+ y^2)^{1/2}}= \frac{r sin(\theta)}{r}= sin(\theta)[/itex]&lt;br /&gt; &lt;br /&gt; Since \theta= tan^{-1}(y/x)&lt;br /&gt; \frac{\partial \theta}{\partial x}= \frac{1}{1+\frac{y^2}{x^2}}\left(-\frac{y}{x^2}\right)&lt;br /&gt; = -\frac{y}{x^2+ y^2}= -\frac{r sin(\theta)}{r^2}= -\frac{1}{r}sin(\theta)&lt;br /&gt; and&lt;br /&gt; \frac{\partial \theta}{\partial y}= \frac{1}{1+ \frac{y^2}{x^2}}\left(\frac{1}{x}\right)&lt;br /&gt; = \frac{x}{x^2+ y^2}= \frac{r cos(\theta)}{r^2}= \frac{1}{r}cos(\theta)[/itex]

 

[Dustinsfl]

Thanks.