304 Chapter 5
Using the concept of the superposition principle as in Chapters 3 and 4, the general solution to
the homogeneous partial differential equation can again be written as the infinite sum of the
given basis vectors, in terms of the eigenfunctions with respect to the variable r, as follows:
u(r, θ) =
∞
n=0
R
n
(r)
A(n) cosh
λ
n
θ
+B(n) sinh
λ
n
θ
Again, the arbitrary constants A(n) and B(n) can be evaluated by taking advantage of the
orthonormality of the r-dependent eigenfunctions, over the finite interval I ={r |1 <r<a},
with respect to the weight function w(r) = 1/r. The statement of orthonormality reads
a
1
R
n
(r)R
m
(r)
r
dr = δ(n, m)
for n, m = 0, 1, 2, 3,....
The original statement of the boundary conditions on the problem determines whether the
solution is written in terms of the eigenfunctions with respect to r or θ. Remember that the
decision comes from our seeking that particular variable that is experiencing the homogeneous
boundary conditions.
DEMONSTRATION: We seek the steady-state temperature distribution in a thin cylindrical
plate over the domain D ={(r, θ) |0 <r<1, 0 <θ<π/3} whose lateral surface is insulated.
The sides θ = 0 and θ = π/3 are fixed at zero temperature, and the side r = 1 has a temperature
distribution f(θ) given as follows. The solution is required to be finite at the origin.
SOLUTION: The homogeneous Laplace equation is
∂
∂r
u(r, θ) +r
∂
2
∂r
2
u(r, θ)
r
+
∂
2
∂θ
2
u(r, θ)
r
2
= 0
The boundary conditions are
|
u(0,θ)
|
< ∞ and u(1,θ)= f(θ)
and
u(r, 0) = 0 and u
r,
π
3
= 0
We seek that variable whose boundary conditions are homogeneous. Since the boundary
conditions are homogeneous with respect to the θ variable, we write the ordinary differential
equations from the method of separation of variables as follows:
d
2
dθ
2
(θ)+λ(θ) = 0