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5.3: Hyperbolic Equation

  • Page ID
    8348
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    As an example of a hyperbolic equation we study the wave equation. One of the systems it can describe is a transmission line for high frequency signals, 40m long.

    \[\begin{aligned} \dfrac{\partial^2}{\partial x^2} V &= \underbrace{LC}_{\text{imp}\times \text {capac}}\dfrac{\partial^2}{\partial t^2} V \nonumber\\ \dfrac{\partial}{\partial x} V (0,t) &= \dfrac{\partial}{\partial x} V(40,t) = 0, \nonumber\\ V(x,0) &= f(x),\nonumber\\ \dfrac{\partial}{\partial t} V(x,0) &= 0,\end{aligned} \nonumber \] Separate variables, \[V(x,t) = X(x) T(t). \nonumber \] We find \[\frac{X''}{X} = LC \frac{T''}{T} = -\lambda . \nonumber \]

    Which in turn shows that

    \[\begin{aligned} X'' &=-\lambda X, \nonumber\\ T'' &= -\frac{\lambda}{LC} T .\end{aligned} \nonumber \]

    We can also separate most of the initial and boundary conditions; we find \[X'(0) = X'(40)=0,\;\;T'(0)=0. \nonumber \] Once again distinguish the three cases \(\lambda>0\), \(\lambda=0\), and \(\lambda<0\):

    \(\lambda>0\)

    (almost identical to previous problem) \(\lambda_n = \alpha_n^2\), \(\alpha_n = \frac{n\pi}{40}\), \(X_n=\cos(\alpha_n x)\). We find that

    \[T_n(t) = D_n\cos \left(\frac{n\pi t}{40\sqrt{LC}}\right) + E_n\sin\left(\frac{n\pi t}{40\sqrt{LC}}\right). \nonumber \] \(T'(0)=0\) implies \(E_n=0\), and taking both together we find (for \(n \geq 1\)) \[V_n(x,t) = \cos\left(\frac{n\pi t}{40\sqrt{LC}}\right) \cos\left(\frac{n\pi x}{40}\right). \nonumber \]

    \(\lambda=0\)

    \(X(x) = A + B x\). \(B=0\) due to the boundary conditions. We find that \(T(t) = D t + E\), and \(D\) is 0 due to initial condition. We conclude that \[V_0(x,t) = 1. \nonumber \]

    \(\lambda<0\)

    No solution.

    Taking everything together we find that

    \[V(x,t) = \frac{a_0}{2} + \sum_{n=1}^\infty a_n \cos\left(\frac{n\pi t}{40\sqrt{LC}}\right) \cos\left(\frac{n\pi x}{40}\right). \nonumber \] The one remaining initial condition gives

    \[V(x,0) = f(x) = \frac{a_0}{2} + \sum_{n=1}^\infty a_n \cos\left(\frac{n\pi x}{40}\right). \nonumber \]

    Use the Fourier cosine series (even continuation of \(f\)) to find \[\begin{aligned} a_0 & = \frac{1}{20} \int_0^{40} f(x) dx, \nonumber\\ a_n & = & \frac{1}{20} \int_0^{40} f(x)\cos\left(\frac{n\pi x}{40}\right) dx.\end{aligned} \nonumber \]


    This page titled 5.3: Hyperbolic Equation is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Niels Walet via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available upon request.