What is the Sturm-Liouville Problem for $y''+2y'+ty=0$ with $y(0)=y(1)=0$?

  • Context: MHB 
  • Thread starter Thread starter Poirot1
  • Start date Start date
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the Sturm-Liouville problem defined by the differential equation $y''+2y'+ty=0$ on the interval $0

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • One participant presents the differential equation and seeks to formulate the corresponding Sturm-Liouville problem and define the inner product.
  • There is a question regarding whether $t$ is the variable of differentiation or the eigenvalue, which is later clarified by another participant who states that $t$ is indeed the eigenvalue.
  • Participants discuss the Sturm-Liouville operator, with one suggesting the operator as $L=-\frac{1}{e^{2x}}\,\frac{d}{dx}\left[e^{2x}\,\frac{d}{dx}\right]$ and another agreeing with this formulation.
  • Participants identify the functions $p(x)=e^{2x}$, $q(x)=0$, and $r(x)=-e^{2x}$, with some confusion about the notation for the weight function.
  • There is an inquiry about the meaning of "formulating the problem," with a suggestion that it involves writing the equation in Sturm-Liouville form.
  • Concerns are raised about the weight function being negative, with one participant suggesting the use of the modulus, while another advises against it and proposes redefining the eigenvalue as $\lambda=-t$ to address the issue.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the formulation of the Sturm-Liouville operator and the identification of the eigenvalue, but there is disagreement regarding the treatment of the negative weight function and its implications for the inner product.

Contextual Notes

There are unresolved questions about the implications of using a negative weight function in the inner product, and participants express uncertainty about the correct formulation of the inner product itself.

Poirot1
Messages
243
Reaction score
0
consider $y''+2y'+ty=0$ on $0<x<1$ such that $y(0)=y(1)=0$
Find the corresponding Sturm-Liouville operator and formulate the Sturm-Liouville problem. Hence, define the inner product for which the eigenfunctions are orthogonal.

I have $L=-e^-2x. d/dx(e^2x.d/dx)$ (how to do fractions in code?)

I'm not sure what is meant by formulate the problem but perhaps Ly=ty.

I don't know how to choose an inner product.

 
Physics news on Phys.org
Question: is $t$ the variable of differentiation, or is it the eigenvalue?

You can do fractions with the \frac{numerator}{denominator} command.
 
't' is the eigenvalue
 
So, assuming you meant
$$L=-\frac{1}{e^{2x}}\,\frac{d}{dx}\left[e^{2x}\,\frac{d}{dx}\right],$$
I would agree that's the Sturm-Liouville operator.
In comparing it with the standard form of the Sturm-Liouville operator, what are $p, q,$ and $w$?
 
$$p(x)=e^2x$$, $$q(x)=0$$,$$r(x)= -e^2x$$. What does formulating the problem entail? By your hint on the other thread, I might guess that I should define the inner product to be $$<f,g>= \int{ \frac{1}{r}*f*g$$.
 
I don't know what your $r$ is - is that your weight function? Incidentally, you can write more than one thing in an exponent, in $\LaTeX$, if you enclose it in curly braces {} thus: $e^{2x}$. Compare with $e^2x$.
 
yes, my r is your w.
 
Poirot said:
yes, my r is your w.

So, in writing your original DE in Sturm-Liouville form, you have now discovered what the weight function is. If you look at my big post in your other thread, note how the weight function shows up in the inner product w.r.t. which the eigenfunctions of the Sturm-Liouville operator are orthogonal. It's not quite what you have in your post # 5 of this thread.
 
So did formulating the problem simply mean writing in sturm-liouville form?
 
  • #10
Poirot said:
So did formulating the problem simply mean writing in sturm-liouville form?

Correct. Then, to solve the problem, you simply need to recognize what the weight function is, and write down the corresponding inner product.
 
  • #11
ok so <f,g> should be the integral of 'rgf' between 0 and 1 but $$r=-e^{-2x}$$ is negative. Should I take the mod?
 
  • #12
Yeah, you can't have a negative weight function, because then $\langle f|f\rangle$ might be negative, which is not allowed in an inner product. You should not take the mod, however. What I would do is absorb the minus sign into the eigenvalue. That is, define $\lambda=-t$ as the eigenvalue for the Sturm-Liouville operator.
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
3K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
4K
  • · Replies 45 ·
2
Replies
45
Views
9K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
3K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
4K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K