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Diffstat (limited to 'source/know/concept/beltrami-identity')
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diff --git a/source/know/concept/beltrami-identity/index.md b/source/know/concept/beltrami-identity/index.md index 3fa566c..be9a344 100644 --- a/source/know/concept/beltrami-identity/index.md +++ b/source/know/concept/beltrami-identity/index.md @@ -8,26 +8,26 @@ categories: layout: "concept" --- -Consider a general functional $J[f]$ of the following form, -with $f(x)$ an unknown function: +Consider a general functional $$J[f]$$ of the following form, +with $$f(x)$$ an unknown function: $$\begin{aligned} J[f] = \int_{x_0}^{x_1} L(f, f', x) \dd{x} \end{aligned}$$ -Where $L$ is the Lagrangian. -To find the $f$ that maximizes or minimizes $J[f]$, +Where $$L$$ is the Lagrangian. +To find the $$f$$ that maximizes or minimizes $$J[f]$$, the [calculus of variations](/know/concept/calculus-of-variations/) -states that the Euler-Lagrange equation must be solved for $f$: +states that the Euler-Lagrange equation must be solved for $$f$$: $$\begin{aligned} 0 = \pdv{L}{f} - \dv{}{x} \Big( \pdv{L}{f'} \Big) \end{aligned}$$ -We now want to know exactly how $L$ depends on the free variable $x$, -since it is a function of $x$, $f(x)$ and $f'(x)$. +We now want to know exactly how $$L$$ depends on the free variable $$x$$, +since it is a function of $$x$$, $$f(x)$$ and $$f'(x)$$. Using the chain rule: $$\begin{aligned} @@ -44,16 +44,16 @@ $$\begin{aligned} &= \dv{}{x} \bigg( f' \pdv{L}{f'} \bigg) + \pdv{L}{x} \end{aligned}$$ -Although we started from the "hard" derivative $\idv{L}{x}$, -we arrive at an expression for the "soft" derivative $\ipdv{L}{x}$, -describing the *explicit* dependence of $L$ on $x$: +Although we started from the "hard" derivative $$\idv{L}{x}$$, +we arrive at an expression for the "soft" derivative $$\ipdv{L}{x}$$, +describing the *explicit* dependence of $$L$$ on $$x$$: $$\begin{aligned} - \pdv{L}{x} = \dv{}{x} \bigg( f' \pdv{L}{f'} - L \bigg) \end{aligned}$$ -What if $L$ does not explicitly depend on $x$, i.e. $\ipdv{L}{x} = 0$? +What if $$L$$ does not explicitly depend on $$x$$, i.e. $$\ipdv{L}{x} = 0$$? In that case, the equation can be integrated to give the **Beltrami identity**: $$\begin{aligned} @@ -63,19 +63,19 @@ $$\begin{aligned} } \end{aligned}$$ -Where $C$ is a constant. -This says that the left-hand side is a conserved quantity in $x$, +Where $$C$$ is a constant. +This says that the left-hand side is a conserved quantity in $$x$$, which could be useful to know. -If we insert a concrete expression for $L$, -the Beltrami identity might be easier to solve for $f$ than the full Euler-Lagrange equation. -The assumption $\ipdv{L}{x} = 0$ is justified; -for example, if $x$ is time, it means that the potential is time-independent. +If we insert a concrete expression for $$L$$, +the Beltrami identity might be easier to solve for $$f$$ than the full Euler-Lagrange equation. +The assumption $$\ipdv{L}{x} = 0$$ is justified; +for example, if $$x$$ is time, it means that the potential is time-independent. ## Higher dimensions -Above, a 1D problem was considered, i.e. $f$ depended only on a single variable $x$. -Consider now a 2D problem, such that $J[f]$ is given by: +Above, a 1D problem was considered, i.e. $$f$$ depended only on a single variable $$x$$. +Consider now a 2D problem, such that $$J[f]$$ is given by: $$\begin{aligned} J[f] = \iint_{(x_0, y_0)}^{(x_1, y_1)} L(f, f_x, f_y, x, y) \dd{x} \dd{y} @@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ $$\begin{aligned} 0 = \pdv{L}{f} - \dv{}{x} \Big( \pdv{L}{f_x} \Big) - \dv{}{y} \Big( \pdv{L}{f_y} \Big) \end{aligned}$$ -Once again, we calculate the hard $x$-derivative of $L$ (the $y$-derivative is analogous): +Once again, we calculate the hard $$x$$-derivative of $$L$$ (the $$y$$-derivative is analogous): $$\begin{aligned} \dv{L}{x} @@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ $$\begin{aligned} &= \dv{}{x} \Big( f_x \pdv{L}{f_x} \Big) + \dv{}{y} \Big( f_x \pdv{L}{f_y} \Big) + \pdv{L}{x} \end{aligned}$$ -This time, we arrive at the following expression for the soft derivative $\ipdv{L}{x}$: +This time, we arrive at the following expression for the soft derivative $$\ipdv{L}{x}$$: $$\begin{aligned} - \pdv{L}{x} @@ -109,9 +109,9 @@ $$\begin{aligned} Due to the derivatives, this cannot be cleanly turned into an analogue of the 1D Beltrami identity, and therefore we use that name only in the 1D case. -However, if $\ipdv{L}{x} = 0$, this equation is still useful. +However, if $$\ipdv{L}{x} = 0$$, this equation is still useful. For an off-topic demonstration of this fact, -let us choose $x$ as the transverse coordinate, and integrate over it to get: +let us choose $$x$$ as the transverse coordinate, and integrate over it to get: $$\begin{aligned} 0 @@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ $$\begin{aligned} \end{aligned}$$ If our boundary conditions cause the boundary term to vanish (as is often the case), -then the integral on the right is a conserved quantity with respect to $y$. +then the integral on the right is a conserved quantity with respect to $$y$$. While not as elegant as the 1D Beltrami identity, the above 2D counterpart still fulfills the same role. |