How to find the Gateaux differential of this functional?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around finding the Gateaux differential of a functional defined by an integral involving the functions \(y\) and \(\psi\), with specific boundary conditions. The functional is expressed as \(S[y]=\int_{a}^{b}(y'^{2}+\omega^{2}y^{2}+2yx^{4})dx\), where \(\omega\) is a positive constant.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the application of the definition of the Gateaux differential and the need to differentiate under the integral sign. There is uncertainty about the evaluation of the integral due to the arbitrary nature of the functions involved. Some participants suggest bringing the differentiation inside the integral, while others question the correctness of the initial evaluations and whether the integral can be computed directly.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with various interpretations and approaches being explored. Some participants have provided detailed breakdowns of the differentiation process, while others are questioning assumptions and seeking clarification on the steps involved. There is no explicit consensus yet on the correct approach or final result.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that \(y\) and \(\psi\) are arbitrary functions satisfying specific boundary conditions, which complicates the evaluation of the integral. The discussion reflects a mix of confidence and uncertainty regarding the application of differentiation techniques in this context.

Math100
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Homework Statement
Let ## a<b, A ## and ## B ## be constants.
Find the Gateaux differential of the functional ## S[y]=\int_{a}^{b}(y'^{2}+\omega^{2}y^{2}+2yx^{4})dx, y(a)=A, y(b)=B ##, where ## \omega ## is a positive constant.
Relevant Equations
Suppose ## X ## and ## Y ## are locally convex topological vector spaces, ## U\subseteq X ## is open, and ## F: X\rightarrow Y ##. The Gateaux differential ## dF(u; \psi) ## of ## F ## at ## u\in U ## in the direction ## \psi\in X ## is defined as ## dF(u; \psi)=\lim_{\tau\rightarrow 0}\frac{F(u+\tau\psi)-F(u)}{\tau}=\frac{d}{d\tau}F(u+\tau\psi)\biggr\rvert_{\tau=0} ##. If the limit exists for all ## \psi\in X ##, then one says that ## F ## is Gateaux differentiable at ## u ##.
I am not sure if this is correct, but here is my work by using the definition of the Gateaux differential:
\begin{align*}
&dS(y; \psi)=\lim_{\tau\rightarrow 0}\frac{S(y+\tau\psi)-S(y)}{\tau}=\frac{d}{d\tau}S(y+\tau\psi)\biggr\rvert_{\tau=0}\\
&S(y+\tau\psi)=\int_{a}^{b}[(y+\tau\psi)'^{2}+\omega^{2}(y+\tau\psi)^{2}+2(y+\tau\psi)x^{4}]dx\\
&=[(y+\tau\psi)'^{2}x+\omega^{2}(y+\tau\psi)^{2}x+\frac{2}{5}(y+\tau\psi)x^{5}]_{a}^{b}\\
&=(y+\tau\psi)'^{2}(b-a)+\omega^{2}(y+\tau\psi)^{2}(b-a)+[\frac{2}{5}(y+\tau\psi)](b^{5}-a^{5})\\
\end{align*}
Thus ## S(y+\tau\psi)\biggr\rvert_{\tau=0}=y'^{2}(b-a)+\omega^{2}y^{2}(b-a)+\frac{2}{5}y(b^{5}-a^{5}) ##.
So ## \frac{d}{d\tau}S(y+\tau\psi)\biggr\rvert_{\tau=0}=0 ##.

Can anyone please check/verify/confirm this?
 
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Math100 said:
Homework Statement:: Let ## a<b, A ## and ## B ## be constants.
Find the Gateaux differential of the functional ## S[y]=\int_{a}^{b}(y'^{2}+\omega^{2}y^{2}+2yx^{4})dx, y(a)=A, y(b)=B ##, where ## \omega ## is a positive constant.
Relevant Equations:: Suppose ## X ## and ## Y ## are locally convex topological vector spaces, ## U\subseteq X ## is open, and ## F: X\rightarrow Y ##. The Gateaux differential ## dF(u; \psi) ## of ## F ## at ## u\in U ## in the direction ## \psi\in X ## is defined as ## dF(u; \psi)=\lim_{\tau\rightarrow 0}\frac{F(u+\tau\psi)-F(u)}{\tau}=\frac{d}{d\tau}F(u+\tau\psi)\biggr\rvert_{\tau=0} ##. If the limit exists for all ## \psi\in X ##, then one says that ## F ## is Gateaux differentiable at ## u ##.

I am not sure if this is correct, but here is my work by using the definition of the Gateaux differential:
\begin{align*}
&dS(y; \psi)=\lim_{\tau\rightarrow 0}\frac{S(y+\tau\psi)-S(y)}{\tau}=\frac{d}{d\tau}S(y+\tau\psi)\biggr\rvert_{\tau=0}\\
&S(y+\tau\psi)=\int_{a}^{b}[(y+\tau\psi)'^{2}+\omega^{2}(y+\tau\psi)^{2}+2(y+\tau\psi)x^{4}]dx\\
&=[(y+\tau\psi)'^{2}x+\omega^{2}(y+\tau\psi)^{2}x+\frac{2}{5}(y+\tau\psi)x^{5}]_{a}^{b}\\
&=(y+\tau\psi)'^{2}(b-a)+\omega^{2}(y+\tau\psi)^{2}(b-a)+[\frac{2}{5}(y+\tau\psi)](b^{5}-a^{5})\\
\end{align*}
Thus ## S(y+\tau\psi)\biggr\rvert_{\tau=0}=y'^{2}(b-a)+\omega^{2}y^{2}(b-a)+\frac{2}{5}y(b^{5}-a^{5}) ##.
So ## \frac{d}{d\tau}S(y+\tau\psi)\biggr\rvert_{\tau=0}=0 ##.

Can anyone please check/verify/confirm this?
I'm not all that familiar with the Gateaux differential.

It seems to me that you need to first do the differentiation, ##\dfrac{d}{d\tau} S(y+\tau\psi)##, then evaluate the result at ##\tau =0##.
 
Math100 said:
Homework Statement:: Let ## a<b, A ## and ## B ## be constants.
Find the Gateaux differential of the functional ## S[y]=\int_{a}^{b}(y'^{2}+\omega^{2}y^{2}+2yx^{4})dx, y(a)=A, y(b)=B ##, where ## \omega ## is a positive constant.
Relevant Equations:: Suppose ## X ## and ## Y ## are locally convex topological vector spaces, ## U\subseteq X ## is open, and ## F: X\rightarrow Y ##. The Gateaux differential ## dF(u; \psi) ## of ## F ## at ## u\in U ## in the direction ## \psi\in X ## is defined as ## dF(u; \psi)=\lim_{\tau\rightarrow 0}\frac{F(u+\tau\psi)-F(u)}{\tau}=\frac{d}{d\tau}F(u+\tau\psi)\biggr\rvert_{\tau=0} ##. If the limit exists for all ## \psi\in X ##, then one says that ## F ## is Gateaux differentiable at ## u ##.

I am not sure if this is correct, but here is my work by using the definition of the Gateaux differential:<br /> \begin{align*}<br /> &amp;dS(y; \psi)=\lim_{\tau\rightarrow 0}\frac{S(y+\tau\psi)-S(y)}{\tau}=\frac{d}{d\tau}S(y+\tau\psi)\biggr\rvert_{\tau=0}\\<br /> &amp;S(y+\tau\psi)=\int_{a}^{b}[(y+\tau\psi)&#039;^{2}+\omega^{2}(y+\tau\psi)^{2}+2(y+\tau\psi)x^{4}]dx\\<br /> &amp;=[(y+\tau\psi)&#039;^{2}x+\omega^{2}(y+\tau\psi)^{2}x+\frac{2}{5}(y+\tau\psi)x^{5}]_{a}^{b}<br /> \end{align*}

No. y and \psi are arbitrary functions of x satisfying y(a) = A, y(b) = B and \psi(a) = \psi~(b) = 0. You can't actually evaluate the integral because you don't know what y and \psi are. Instead you must bring the differentiation with respect to \tau inside the integral, where it becomes a partial derivative at constant x.
 
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pasmith said:
No. y and \psi are arbitrary functions of x satisfying y(a) = A, y(b) = B and \psi(a) = \psi~(b) = 0. You can't actually evaluate the integral because you don't know what y and \psi are. Instead you must bring the differentiation with respect to \tau inside the integral, where it becomes a partial derivative at constant x.
Do you mean ## S(y+\tau\psi)=\int_{a}^{b}\frac{d}{d\tau}(y'^{2}+\omega^{2}y^{2}+2yx^{4})dx ##? If so, then how to evaluate this?
 
Math100 said:
Do you mean ## S(y+\tau\psi)=\int_{a}^{b}\frac{d}{d\tau}(y'^{2}+\omega^{2}y^{2}+2yx^{4})dx ##? If so, then how to evaluate this?

\begin{split}<br /> S[y + \tau \psi] &amp;= \int_a^b (y(x)&#039; + \tau \psi(x)&#039;)^2 + \omega^2(y(x) + \tau\psi(x))^2 + 2(y(x) + \tau \psi(x))x^4\,dx \\<br /> \left.\frac{d}{d\tau} S[y + \tau \psi]\right|_{\tau=0} &amp;= <br /> \int_a^b \left.\frac{\partial}{\partial \tau}\left(((y&#039;(x) + \tau\psi&#039;(x))^2 + \omega^2(y(x) + \tau\psi(x))^2 + 2(y(x) + \tau\psi(x))x^4\right)\right|_{\tau=0}\,dx. \end{split} Again, you need to calculate the (partial) derivative with respect to \tau and then set \tau = 0. \left.\dfrac{df}{dt}\right|_{t=t_0} is how we indicate where the derivative is to be evaluated using Leibnitz's notation; with Newton's notation we would just write f&#039;(t_0).
 
Last edited:
pasmith said:
\begin{split}<br /> S[y + \tau \psi] &amp;= \int_a^b (y(x)&#039; + \tau \psi(x)&#039;)^2 + \omega^2(y(x) + \tau\psi(x))^2 + 2(y(x) + \tau \psi(x))x^4\,dx \\<br /> \left.\frac{d}{d\tau} S[y + \tau \psi]\right|_{\tau=0} &amp;=<br /> \int_a^b \left.\frac{\partial}{\partial \tau}\left(((y&#039;(x) + \tau\psi&#039;(x))^2 + \omega^2(y(x) + \tau\psi(x))^2 + 2(y(x) + \tau\psi(x))x^4\right)\right|_{\tau=0}\,dx. \end{split} Again, you need to calculate the (partial) derivative with respect to \tau and then set \tau = 0. \left.\dfrac{df}{dt}\right|_{t=t_0} is how we indicate where the derivative is to be evaluated using Leibnitz's notation; with Newton's notation we would just write f&#039;(t_0).
After breaking down into smaller pieces, I got the following:
\begin{align*}
&(y'(x)+\tau\psi'(x))^{2}=y'^{2}(x)+2y'(x)\tau\psi'(x)+\tau^{2}\psi'^{2}(x)\\
&\omega^{2}(y(x)+\tau\psi(x))^{2}=\omega^{2}y^{2}(x)+2\tau\psi(x)\omega^{2}+\omega^{2}\tau^{2}\psi^{2}(x)\\
&2(y(x)+\tau\psi(x))x^{4}=2x^{4}y(x)+2x^{4}\tau\psi(x)\\
&\frac{d}{d\tau}[(y(x)'+\tau\psi(x)')^{2}]=2y'(x)\psi'(x)+2\tau\psi'^{2}(x)\\
&\frac{d}{d\tau}[\omega^{2}(y(x)+\tau\psi(x))^{2}]=2\psi(x)\omega^{2}+2\omega^{2}\tau\psi^{2}(x)\\
&\frac{d}{d\tau}[2(y(x)+\tau\psi(x))x^{4}]=2x^{4}\psi(x)\\
\end{align*}
So
\begin{align*}
&\frac{d}{d\tau}S[y+\tau\psi]_{\tau=0}\\
&=[2y'(x)\psi'(x)+2\tau\psi'^{2}(x)+2\psi(x)\omega^{2}+2\omega^{2}\tau\psi^{2}(x)+2x^{4}\psi(x)]_{\tau=0}\\
&=2y'(x)\psi'(x)+2\psi(x)\omega^{2}+2x^{4}\psi(x).\\
\end{align*}
Thus
\begin{align*}
&\int_{a}^{b}[2y'(x)\psi'(x)+2\psi(x)\omega^{2}+2x^{4}\psi(x)]dx\\
&=[2xy'(x)\psi'(x)+2x\psi(x)\omega^{2}+\frac{2}{5}x^{5}\psi(x)]_{a}^{b}\\
&=[2by'(x)\psi'(x)+2b\psi(x)\omega^{2}+\frac{2}{5}b^{5}\psi(x)]-[2ay'(x)\psi'(x)+2a\psi(x)\omega^{2}+\frac{2}{5}a^{5}\psi(x)]\\
&=(b-a)(2y'(x)\psi'(x)+2\psi(x)\omega^{2})+(b^{5}-a^{5})(\frac{2}{5}\psi(x)).\\
\end{align*}
Thus
\begin{align*}
&\frac{d}{d\tau}S[y+\tau\psi]_{\tau=0}=(b-a)(2y'(x)\psi'(x)+2\psi(x)\omega^{2})+(b^{5}-a^{5})(\frac{2}{5}\psi(x)).\\
\end{align*}
Is this correct?
 
Math100 said:
After breaking down into smaller pieces, I got the following:
\begin{align*}
&(y'(x)+\tau\psi'(x))^{2}=y'^{2}(x)+2y'(x)\tau\psi'(x)+\tau^{2}\psi'^{2}(x)\\
&\omega^{2}(y(x)+\tau\psi(x))^{2}=\omega^{2}y^{2}(x)+2\tau\psi(x)\omega^{2}+\omega^{2}\tau^{2}\psi^{2}(x)\end{align*}

You are missing a y(x) from the second term on the right on the last line. But it is easier to use the chain rule rather than multiply everything out: \frac{\partial}{\partial \tau} (y(x) + \tau \psi(x)&#039;)^2 = 2(y&#039;(x) + \tau \psi&#039;(x))\psi&#039;(x) etc.

Thus
\begin{align*}

&\int_{a}^{b}[2y'(x)\psi'(x)+2\psi(x)\omega^{2}+2x^{4}\psi(x)]dx\\

&=[2xy'(x)\psi'(x)+2x\psi(x)\omega^{2}+\frac{2}{5}x^{5}\psi(x)]_{a}^{b}\\

&=[2by'(x)\psi'(x)+2b\psi(x)\omega^{2}+\frac{2}{5}b^{5}\psi(x)]-[2ay'(x)\psi'(x)+2a\psi(x)\omega^{2}+\frac{2}{5}a^{5}\psi(x)]\\

&=(b-a)(2y'(x)\psi'(x)+2\psi(x)\omega^{2})+(b^{5}-a^{5})(\frac{2}{5}\psi(x)).\\

\end{align*}

Aside from the factor of y(x) missing from the second term, the first line is essentially correct. But the rest is wrong. You have a definite integral with respect to x; its value should therefore not depend on x, but should be a function of the limits a and b. However, you can't evaluate the integral since you don't know how the integrand depends on x (because you don't know what y and \psi are). It is not in general true that \int_a^b xy(x)\,dx = by(b) - ay(a).

The most you can do is integrate the first term by parts to get <br /> \int_a^b 2y&#039;(x)\psi&#039;(x) + 2\omega^2y(x)\psi(x) + 2x^4 \psi(x)\,dx = 2 \int_a^b \left(-y&#039;&#039;(x) + \omega^2y(x) + x^4\right)\psi(x)\,dx + 2\left[y&#039;(x)\psi(x)\right]_a^b but that is as far as you can go.
 
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