Integral-equation formulations
117
§3.5.2 by using Green's functions. Again it
is
necessary
that
x(t)
should
be
monotonic.
Ockendon (1975) also draws attention to the usefulness of Fourier
transforms in infinite
or
semi-infinite domains and cites
the
Fourier
transform derivation of Lightfoot's (1929) integral equation based
on
a
moving
heat
source as in equations (3.25), (3.26), and (3.27).
3.5.2. Green's /unctions
The use
of
Green's functions for the solution of heat flow problems
subject to conditions prescribed on fixed boundaries
is
well known.
Carslaw and Jaeger (1959, Chapter 14) give the basic theory and solu-
tions
to
a selection of standard problems in terms of appropriate Green's
functions. Kolodner (1956, 1957) formulated Stefan problems in terms of
integral equations, including the problem of the freezing of a lake of finite
depth, by using simple Green's functions, though
he
does not expljcitly
say so.
It
is
interesting
that
in such an early paper Kolodner remarked
that
the
equations in cases of physical interest are all of Volterra
type
of
the
second kind and hence are amenable to numerical treatment. Rubin-
stein (1971) based an analysis of the existence, uniqueness, and stability of
solutions of Stefan problems on integral equation formulations incor-
porating Green's functions.
He
also briefly examined the numerical
evaluation of integral solutions coupled with estimates of accuracy. More
recently Rubinstein
(1980a) discussed the application of integral equation
techniques to several Stafan problems including a one-din'lensional prob-
lem with analytical input data,
the
solidification of a binary alloy, an
axially symmetric problem with concentrated thermal capacity (see
§1.3.11), and a problem with a hyperbolic instead of the more usual
parabolic
heat
conduction equation. Collatz (1978) too used integral
equations
tc?
find practical error bounds. Chuang and Szekely (1971)
employed Green's functions to solve, in integral equation form, the
problem of a solid slab, symmetrically placed in its own melt. There
is
a
prescribed initial temperature, not necessarily uniform, and
on
the mov-
ing,
outer
surfaces x =
±X(t)
the temperatures,
U,
are the melting temper-
ature,
UM,
and there
is
a second condition of the form
au
a-+
(3u
=
t(t),
ax
x =
±X(t)
,
with
X(t)
= e at t =
O.
The
numerical evaluation of the integral solution
proceeds by a process of successive approximation in which the locus of
the melting boundary
is
approximated by linear segments in the (x, t)
plane.
Later
papers by Chuang and Szekely (1972) and Chuang and
Ehrich (1974) deal with corresponding cylindrical and spherical problems.