352
Chapter
8.
Problems
in
multiple spatial dimensions
with
ttQQ
undetermined.
The
graph
of
u,
with
aoo
=
0,
is
shown
in
Figure
8.7.
Figure
8.7.
The
solution
to the
BVP
in
Example 8.5.
This
graph
was
produced
using
a
total
of 120
terms
of the
(double)
Fourier cosine series.
8.2.6 Dirichlet
and
Neumann problems
for
Laplace's
equation
The PDE
is
called Laplace's equation.
This
equation, with inhomogeneous boundary condi-
tions,
is
commonly
encountered
in
applications.
For
example,
a
steady-state
heat
flow
problem with
no
heat
source,
in a
homogeneous domain, leads
to
Laplace's
equation, which
can be
paired with inhomogeneous Dirichlet
or
Neumann con-
ditions.
The
Dirichlet conditions indicate
that
the
temperature
is fixed on the
boundary, while
the
Neumann conditions indicate
that
the
heat
flux is
prescribed.
As
another example,
if a
membrane
is
stretched
on a
frame
described
by a
curve
(x,y,g(xi,X2)),
(xi,x<z)
€
Oft,
and if no
transverse
force
is
applied, then
the
shape
of the
membrane
is
described
by the
solution
of
Laplace's equation with
inhomogeneous Dirichlet conditions
u(xi,#2)
=
#(#15
#2),
(^1,^2)
G
d^l.
We
will consider
the
following
Dirichlet problem
for
Laplace's equation:
If
we
wish
to
solve (8.26) using
the
method
of
Fourier series, then
it is
desirable
to
shift
the
data
to
obtain homogeneous boundary conditions.
The
reader should
352
Chapter
8.
Problems
in
multiple spatial dimensions
with
aoo
undetermined. The
graph
of
u, with
aoo
= 0, is shown in Figure 8.7.
0.06
0.04
0.02
o
- 0.02
-0.
04
1
o 0
Figure
8.7. The solution
to
the
BVP
in Example 8.5. This
graph
was
produced using a total
of
120 terms
of
the (double) Fourier cosine series.
8.2.6 Dirichlet
and
Neumann
problems
for
Laplace's equation
The
PDE
-~U
= ° in n
(8.25)
is
called Laplace's equation. This equation, with inhomogeneous boundary condi-
tions, is commonly encountered in applications. For example, a steady-state heat
flow
problem with no heat source, in a homogeneous domain, leads
to
Laplace's
equation, which can be paired with inhomogeneous Dirichlet or Neumann con-
ditions.
The
Dirichlet conditions indicate
that
the temperature
is
fixed on the
boundary, while the Neumann conditions indicate
that
the
heat flux is prescribed.
As
another example, if a membrane
is
stretched on a frame described by a
curve
(x,y,g(Xl,X2)), (Xl,X2) E
an,
and if no transverse force
is
applied, then
the
shape of the membrane
is
described by the solution of Laplace's equation with
inhomogeneous Dirichlet conditions
U(Xl,X2) = g(Xl,X2), (Xl,X2) E
an.
We
will consider
the
following Dirichlet problem for Laplace's equation:
-~U
= ° in
n,
(8.26)
U = 9 on
an.
If
we
wish
to
solve (8.26) using
the
method of Fourier series, then
it
is desirable
to shift
the
data
to
obtain homogeneous boundary conditions.
The
reader should