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diff --git a/source/know/concept/beltrami-identity/index.md b/source/know/concept/beltrami-identity/index.md index be9a344..fe93e28 100644 --- a/source/know/concept/beltrami-identity/index.md +++ b/source/know/concept/beltrami-identity/index.md @@ -26,9 +26,11 @@ $$\begin{aligned} = \pdv{L}{f} - \dv{}{x} \Big( \pdv{L}{f'} \Big) \end{aligned}$$ -We now want to know exactly how $$L$$ depends on the free variable $$x$$, -since it is a function of $$x$$, $$f(x)$$ and $$f'(x)$$. -Using the chain rule: +We now want to know exactly how $$L$$ depends on the free variable $$x$$. +Of course, $$x$$ may appear explicitly in $$L$$, +but usually $$L$$ also has an *implicit* dependence on $$x$$ via $$f(x)$$ and $$f'(x)$$. +To find a relation between this implicit and explicit dependence, +we start by using the chain rule: $$\begin{aligned} \dv{L}{x} @@ -45,16 +47,17 @@ $$\begin{aligned} \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$$: +we arrive at an expression for the "soft" derivative $$\ipdv{L}{x}$$ +describing only the *explicit* dependence of $$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$$? -In that case, the equation can be integrated to give the **Beltrami identity**: +What if $$L$$ does not explicitly depend on $$x$$ at all, i.e. $$\ipdv{L}{x} = 0$$? +In that case, the equation can be integrated to give the **Beltrami identity**, +where $$C$$ is a constant: $$\begin{aligned} \boxed{ @@ -63,69 +66,19 @@ $$\begin{aligned} } \end{aligned}$$ -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. - - -## 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: - -$$\begin{aligned} - J[f] = \iint_{(x_0, y_0)}^{(x_1, y_1)} L(f, f_x, f_y, x, y) \dd{x} \dd{y} -\end{aligned}$$ - -In which case the Euler-Lagrange equation takes the following form: - -$$\begin{aligned} - 0 = \pdv{L}{f} - \dv{}{x} \Big( \pdv{L}{f_x} \Big) - \dv{}{y} \Big( \pdv{L}{f_y} \Big) -\end{aligned}$$ - -Once again, we calculate the hard $$x$$-derivative of $$L$$ (the $$y$$-derivative is analogous): - -$$\begin{aligned} - \dv{L}{x} - &= \pdv{L}{f} \dv{f}{x} + \pdv{L}{f_x} \dv{f_x}{x} + \pdv{L}{f_y} \dv{f_y}{x} + \pdv{L}{x} - \\ - &= \dv{f}{x} \bigg( \dv{}{x} \Big( \pdv{L}{f_x} \Big) + \dv{}{y} \Big( \pdv{L}{f_y} \Big) \bigg) - + \pdv{L}{f_x} \dv{f_x}{x} + \pdv{L}{f_y} \dv{f_y}{x} + \pdv{L}{x} - \\ - &= \dv{}{x} \Big( f_x \pdv{L}{f_x} \Big) + \dv{}{y} \Big( f_x \pdv{L}{f_y} \Big) + \pdv{L}{x} -\end{aligned}$$ - -This time, we arrive at the following expression for the soft derivative $$\ipdv{L}{x}$$: - -$$\begin{aligned} - - \pdv{L}{x} - &= \dv{}{x} \Big( f_x \pdv{L}{f_x} - L \Big) + \dv{}{y} \Big( f_x \pdv{L}{f_y} \Big) -\end{aligned}$$ - -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. -For an off-topic demonstration of this fact, -let us choose $$x$$ as the transverse coordinate, and integrate over it to get: - -$$\begin{aligned} - 0 - &= - \int_{x_0}^{x_1} \pdv{L}{x} \dd{x} - \\ - &= \int_{x_0}^{x_1} \dv{}{x} \Big( f_x \pdv{L}{f_x} - L \Big) + \dv{}{y} \Big( f_x \pdv{L}{f_y} \Big) \dd{x} - \\ - &= \Big[ f_x \pdv{L}{f_x} - L \Big]_{x_0}^{x_1} + \dv{}{y} \int_{x_0}^{x_1} \Big( f_x \pdv{L}{f_y} \Big) \dd{x} -\end{aligned}$$ - -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 $$y$$. -While not as elegant as the 1D Beltrami identity, -the above 2D counterpart still fulfills the same role. +This says that the left-hand side is a conserved quantity +with respect to $$x$$, which could be useful to know. +Furthermore, for some Lagrangians $$L$$, +the Beltrami identity is easier to solve for $$f$$ than the full Euler-Lagrange equation. +The condition $$\ipdv{L}{x} = 0$$ is often justified: +for example, if $$x$$ is time, it simply means that the potential is time-independent. + +When we add more dimensions, e.g. for $$L(f, f_x, f_y, x, y)$$, +the above derivation no longer works due to the final integration step, +so the name *Beltrami identity* is only used in 1D. +Nevertheless, a generalization does exist +that can handle more dimensions: +[Noether's theorem](/know/concept/noethers-theorem/). |