580 Chapter 9
ANIMATION SEQUENCE
> u(x,0):=subs(t=0,u(x,t)):u(x,1):=subs(t=1,u(x,t)):
> u(x,2):=subs(t=2,u(x,t)):u(x,3):=subs(t=3,u(x,t)):
> u(x,4):=subs(t=4,u(x,t)):u(x,5):=subs(t=5,u(x,t)):
> plot({u(x,0),u(x,1),u(x,2),u(x,3),u(x,4),u(x,5)}x=0..5,thickness=10);
2
x
34510
0
1
2
3
4
Figure 9.3
EXAMPLE 9.7.5: (Solution by the method of images) Here we consider the same problem as
in Example 9.7.4, except now we use the method of images, which allows for use of the regular
Fourier integral. Because the boundary conditions are homogeneous and of type 1 at x = 0, we
reflect the initial condition function u(x, 0) = f(x) about the origin, thus forming its odd
extension onto the negative portion of the x-axis. Since we are only interested in the solution
for x>0, we will ignore that portion for x<0.
SOLUTION: The diffusion partial differential equation is
∂
∂t
u(x, t) = k
∂
2
∂x
2
u(x, t)
The boundary conditions are that the solution be absolutely integrable over the interval, and we
have a type 1 condition at x = 0:
∞
0
|u(x, t)|dx<∞ and u(0,t)= 0
The initial condition is
u(x, 0) = 10 x e
−x
2