Prolate Spheroidal Wave Function
The prolate spheroidal wave functions are eigenfunctions of the Laplacian in prolate spheroidal coordinates, adapted to boundary conditions on certain ellipsoids of revolution (an ellipse rotated around its long axis, “cigar shape“). Related are the oblate spheroidal wave functions (“pancake shaped” ellipsoid). Solutions to the wave equation Solve the Helmholtz equation, \nabla^2 \Phi + k^2 \Phi=0, by the method of separation of variables in prolate spheroidal coordinates, (\xi,\eta,\varphi), with: :\ x=a \sqrt \cos \varphi, :\ y=a \sqrt \sin \varphi, :\ z=a \, \xi \, \eta, and \xi \ge 1, , \eta, \le 1 , and 0 \le \varphi \le 2\pi. Here, 2a > 0 is the interfocal distance of the elliptical cross section of the prolate spheroid. Setting c=ka, the solution \Phi(\xi,\eta,\varphi) can be written as the product of e^, a radial spheroidal wave function R_(c,\xi) and an angular spheroidal wave function S_(c,\eta). The radial wave function R_(c,\xi) satisfies the lin ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Eigenfunctions
In mathematics, an eigenfunction of a linear operator ''D'' defined on some function space is any non-zero function f in that space that, when acted upon by ''D'', is only multiplied by some scaling factor called an eigenvalue. As an equation, this condition can be written as Df = \lambda f for some scalar eigenvalue \lambda. The solutions to this equation may also be subject to boundary conditions that limit the allowable eigenvalues and eigenfunctions. An eigenfunction is a type of eigenvector. Eigenfunctions In general, an eigenvector of a linear operator ''D'' defined on some vector space is a nonzero vector in the domain of ''D'' that, when ''D'' acts upon it, is simply scaled by some scalar value called an eigenvalue. In the special case where ''D'' is defined on a function space, the eigenvectors are referred to as eigenfunctions. That is, a function ''f'' is an eigenfunction of ''D'' if it satisfies the equation where λ is a scalar. The solutions to Equation may also ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Oblate Spheroidal Wave Functions
In applied mathematics, oblate spheroidal wave functions (like also prolate spheroidal wave functions and other related functions) are involved in the solution of the Helmholtz equation in oblate spheroidal coordinates. When solving this equation, \Delta \Phi + k^2 \Phi=0, by the method of separation of variables, (\xi,\eta,\varphi), with: :\ z=(d/2) \xi \eta, :\ x=(d/2) \sqrt \cos \varphi, :\ y=(d/2) \sqrt \sin \varphi, :\ \xi \ge 0 \text , \eta, \le 1. the solution \Phi(\xi,\eta,\varphi) can be written as the product of a radial spheroidal wave function R_(-i c,i \xi) and an angular spheroidal wave function S_(-i c,\eta) by e^. Here c=kd/2, with d being the interfocal length of the elliptical cross section of the oblate spheroid. The radial wave function R_(-i c,i \xi) satisfies the linear ordinary differential equation In mathematics, an ordinary differential equation (ODE) is a differential equation whose unknown(s) consists of one (or more) function(s) of one ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Helmholtz Equation
In mathematics, the eigenvalue problem for the Laplace operator is known as the Helmholtz equation. It corresponds to the linear partial differential equation \nabla^2 f = -k^2 f, where is the Laplace operator (or "Laplacian"), is the eigenvalue, and is the (eigen)function. When the equation is applied to waves, is known as the wave number. The Helmholtz equation has a variety of applications in physics, including the wave equation and the diffusion equation, and it has uses in other sciences. Motivation and uses The Helmholtz equation often arises in the study of physical problems involving partial differential equations (PDEs) in both space and time. The Helmholtz equation, which represents a time-independent form of the wave equation, results from applying the technique of separation of variables to reduce the complexity of the analysis. For example, consider the wave equation \left(\nabla^2-\frac\frac\right) u(\mathbf,t)=0. Separation of variables begins by assumi ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Prolate Spheroidal Coordinates
Prolate spheroidal coordinates are a three-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system that results from rotating the two-dimensional elliptic coordinate system about the focal axis of the ellipse, i.e., the symmetry axis on which the foci are located. Rotation about the other axis produces oblate spheroidal coordinates. Prolate spheroidal coordinates can also be considered as a limiting case of ellipsoidal coordinates in which the two smallest principal axes are equal in length. Prolate spheroidal coordinates can be used to solve various partial differential equations in which the boundary conditions match its symmetry and shape, such as solving for a field produced by two centers, which are taken as the foci on the ''z''-axis. One example is solving for the wavefunction of an electron moving in the electromagnetic field of two positively charged nuclei, as in the hydrogen molecular ion, H2+. Another example is solving for the electric field generated by two small electro ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Ordinary Differential Equation
In mathematics, an ordinary differential equation (ODE) is a differential equation whose unknown(s) consists of one (or more) function(s) of one variable and involves the derivatives of those functions. The term ''ordinary'' is used in contrast with the term partial differential equation which may be with respect to ''more than'' one independent variable. Differential equations A linear differential equation is a differential equation that is defined by a linear polynomial in the unknown function and its derivatives, that is an equation of the form :a_0(x)y +a_1(x)y' + a_2(x)y'' +\cdots +a_n(x)y^+b(x)=0, where , ..., and are arbitrary differentiable functions that do not need to be linear, and are the successive derivatives of the unknown function of the variable . Among ordinary differential equations, linear differential equations play a prominent role for several reasons. Most elementary and special functions that are encountered in physics and applied mathematics are ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Associated Legendre Polynomials
In mathematics, the associated Legendre polynomials are the canonical solutions of the general Legendre equation \left(1 - x^2\right) \frac P_\ell^m(x) - 2 x \frac P_\ell^m(x) + \left \ell (\ell + 1) - \frac \rightP_\ell^m(x) = 0, or equivalently \frac \left \left(1 - x^2\right) \frac P_\ell^m(x) \right+ \left \ell (\ell + 1) - \frac \rightP_\ell^m(x) = 0, where the indices ''ℓ'' and ''m'' (which are integers) are referred to as the degree and order of the associated Legendre polynomial respectively. This equation has nonzero solutions that are nonsingular on only if ''ℓ'' and ''m'' are integers with 0 ≤ ''m'' ≤ ''ℓ'', or with trivially equivalent negative values. When in addition ''m'' is even, the function is a polynomial. When ''m'' is zero and ''ℓ'' integer, these functions are identical to the Legendre polynomials. In general, when ''ℓ'' and ''m'' are integers, the regular solutions are sometimes called "associated Legendre polynomials", even though they are ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Spheroidal Wave Equation
In mathematics, the spheroidal wave equation is given by :(1-t^2)\frac -2(b+1) t\, \frac + (c - 4qt^2) \, y=0 It is a generalization of the Mathieu differential equation. If y(t) is a solution to this equation and we define S(t):=(1-t^2)^y(t), then S(t) is a prolate spheroidal wave function in the sense that it satisfies the equationsee Batemanpage 442/ref> :(1-t^2)\frac -2 t\, \frac + (c - 4q + b + b^2 + 4q(1-t^2) - \frac ) \, S=0 See also * Wave equation The (two-way) wave equation is a second-order linear partial differential equation for the description of waves or standing wave fields — as they occur in classical physics — such as mechanical waves (e.g. water waves, sound waves and s ... References ;Bibliography * M. Abramowitz and I. Stegun, ''Handbook of Mathematical function'' (US Gov. Printing Office, Washington DC, 1964) * H. Bateman, ''Partial Differential Equations of Mathematical Physics'' (Dover Publications, New York, 1944) Ordinary differential eq ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Fourier Transform
A Fourier transform (FT) is a mathematical transform that decomposes functions into frequency components, which are represented by the output of the transform as a function of frequency. Most commonly functions of time or space are transformed, which will output a function depending on temporal frequency or spatial frequency respectively. That process is also called ''analysis''. An example application would be decomposing the waveform of a musical chord into terms of the intensity of its constituent pitches. The term ''Fourier transform'' refers to both the frequency domain representation and the mathematical operation that associates the frequency domain representation to a function of space or time. The Fourier transform of a function is a complex-valued function representing the complex sinusoids that comprise the original function. For each frequency, the magnitude (absolute value) of the complex value represents the amplitude of a constituent complex sinusoid with that ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Bounded Function
In mathematics, a function ''f'' defined on some set ''X'' with real or complex values is called bounded if the set of its values is bounded. In other words, there exists a real number ''M'' such that :, f(x), \le M for all ''x'' in ''X''. A function that is ''not'' bounded is said to be unbounded. If ''f'' is real-valued and ''f''(''x'') ≤ ''A'' for all ''x'' in ''X'', then the function is said to be bounded (from) above by ''A''. If ''f''(''x'') ≥ ''B'' for all ''x'' in ''X'', then the function is said to be bounded (from) below by ''B''. A real-valued function is bounded if and only if it is bounded from above and below. An important special case is a bounded sequence, where ''X'' is taken to be the set N of natural numbers. Thus a sequence ''f'' = (''a''0, ''a''1, ''a''2, ...) is bounded if there exists a real number ''M'' such that :, a_n, \le M for every natural number ''n''. The set of all bounded sequences forms the sequence space l^\infty. The definition of bound ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Self-adjoint
In mathematics, and more specifically in abstract algebra, an element ''x'' of a *-algebra is self-adjoint if x^*=x. A self-adjoint element is also Hermitian, though the reverse doesn't necessarily hold. A collection ''C'' of elements of a star-algebra is self-adjoint if it is closed under the involution operation. For example, if x^*=y then since y^*=x^=x in a star-algebra, the set is a self-adjoint set even though ''x'' and ''y'' need not be self-adjoint elements. In functional analysis, a linear operator A : H \to H on a Hilbert space is called self-adjoint if it is equal to its own adjoint ''A''. See self-adjoint operator for a detailed discussion. If the Hilbert space is finite-dimensional and an orthonormal basis has been chosen, then the operator ''A'' is self-adjoint if and only if the matrix describing ''A'' with respect to this basis is Hermitian, i.e. if it is equal to its own conjugate transpose. Hermitian matrices are also called self-adjoint. In a dagger categor ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Eigenfunction
In mathematics, an eigenfunction of a linear operator ''D'' defined on some function space is any non-zero function f in that space that, when acted upon by ''D'', is only multiplied by some scaling factor called an eigenvalue. As an equation, this condition can be written as Df = \lambda f for some scalar eigenvalue \lambda. The solutions to this equation may also be subject to boundary conditions that limit the allowable eigenvalues and eigenfunctions. An eigenfunction is a type of eigenvector. Eigenfunctions In general, an eigenvector of a linear operator ''D'' defined on some vector space is a nonzero vector in the domain of ''D'' that, when ''D'' acts upon it, is simply scaled by some scalar value called an eigenvalue. In the special case where ''D'' is defined on a function space, the eigenvectors are referred to as eigenfunctions. That is, a function ''f'' is an eigenfunction of ''D'' if it satisfies the equation where λ is a scalar. The solutions to Equation may also ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |