The Sturm Liouville Problem

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 23 views

Introduction

The Sturm Liouville problem is a fundamental concept in the field of ordinary differential equations (ODEs). It is a boundary value problem that involves finding the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of a given differential equation. In this article, we will delve into the Sturm Liouville problem, specifically the equation $y''+\lambda y=0, y(0)=0, y(\pi)-y'(\pi)=0.$ We will explore the different cases of the problem, including the trivial case when $\lambda =0$ and the non-trivial case when $\lambda \neq 0.$

The Sturm Liouville Problem

The Sturm Liouville problem is a second-order linear homogeneous differential equation of the form:

y''+\lambda y=0

where $\lambda$ is a constant parameter. The problem is subject to the following boundary conditions:

y(0)=0

y(\pi)-y'(\pi)=0

The goal of the Sturm Liouville problem is to find the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the differential equation. The eigenvalues are the values of $\lambda$ that satisfy the boundary conditions, while the eigenfunctions are the corresponding solutions of the differential equation.

Case 1: $\lambda = 0$

When $\lambda = 0$ , the differential equation becomes:

y''=0

This is a simple second-order linear homogeneous differential equation with constant coefficients. The general solution of this equation is:

y(x)=Ax+B

where $A$ and $B$ are arbitrary constants. Applying the boundary condition $y(0)=0$ , we get:

B=0

Therefore, the solution of the differential equation is:

y(x)=Ax

Applying the boundary condition $y(\pi)-y'(\pi)=0$ , we get:

A\pi-A=0

This implies that $A=0$ , and therefore, the solution of the differential equation is:

y(x)=0

This is the trivial solution of the Sturm Liouville problem.

Case 2: $\lambda \neq 0$

When $\lambda \neq 0$ , the differential equation becomes:

y''+\lambda y=0

This is a second-order linear homogeneous differential equation with constant coefficients. The general solution of this equation is:

y(x)=A\cos(\sqrt{\lambda}x)+B\sin(\sqrt{\lambda}x)

where $A$ and $B$ are arbitrary constants. Applying the boundary condition $y(0)=0$ , we get:

A=0

Therefore, the solution of the differential equation is:

y(x)=B\sin(\sqrt{\lambda}x)

Applying the boundary condition $y(\pi)-y'(\pi)=0$ , we get:

B\sin(\sqrt{\lambda}\pi)-B\sqrt{\lambda}\cos(\sqrt{\lambda}\pi)=0

This implies that:

\sin(\sqrt{\lambda}\pi)=0

\cos(\sqrt{\lambda}\pi)=0

The first equation implies that:

\sqrt{\lambda}\pi=n\pi

where $n$ is an integer. This implies that:

\lambda=n^2

The second equation implies that:

\sqrt{\lambda}\pi=(2n+1)\frac{\pi}{2}

This implies that:

\lambda=(2n+1)^2

Therefore, the eigenvalues of the Sturm Liouville problem are:

\lambda_n=n^2

and

\lambda_n=(2n+1)^2

The corresponding eigenfunctions are:

y_n(x)=\sin(nx)

and

y_n(x)=\sin((2n+1)x)

Conclusion

In this article, we have analyzed the Sturm Liouville problem, specifically the equation $y''+\lambda y=0, y(0)=0, y(\pi)-y'(\pi)=0.$ We have explored the different cases of the problem, including the trivial case when $\lambda =0$ and the non-trivial case when $\lambda \neq 0.$ We have found the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the differential equation and have shown that the eigenvalues are given by $\lambda_n=n^2$ and $\lambda_n=(2n+1)^2$ , while the corresponding eigenfunctions are given by $y_n(x)=\sin(nx)$ and $y_n(x)=\sin((2n+1)x)$ .

References

[1] Sturm, C. (1836). "Sur une classe d'équations linéaires et homogènes qui se présentent un nombre fini de solutions. Ann. Sci. École Norm. Sup., 3, 547-555.
[2] Liouville, J. (1837). "Sur l'équation $\frac{d^2y}{dx^2}+\lambda y=0$ . J. Math. Pures Appl., 2, 416-424.
[3] Ince, E. L. (1926). Ordinary Differential Equations. Dover Publications.

Appendix

The Sturm Liouville problem is a fundamental concept in the field of ordinary differential equations. It is a boundary value problem that involves finding the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of a given differential equation. The problem is named after the mathematicians Charles-François Sturm and Joseph Liouville, who first studied the problem in the 19th century.

The Sturm Liouville problem has many applications in physics, engineering, and other fields. It is used to model a wide range of phenomena, including vibrations, waves, and heat transfer. The problem is also used in the study of quantum mechanics, where it is used to describe the behavior of particles in a potential well.

Introduction

The Sturm Liouville problem is a fundamental concept in the field of ordinary differential equations (ODEs). It is a boundary value problem that involves finding the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of a given differential equation. In this article, we will provide a comprehensive Q&A guide to the Sturm Liouville problem, covering various aspects of the problem, including its definition, properties, and applications.

Q: What is the Sturm Liouville problem?

A: The Sturm Liouville problem is a boundary value problem that involves finding the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of a given differential equation. The problem is defined as:

y''+\lambda y=0

subject to the boundary conditions:

y(0)=0

y(\pi)-y'(\pi)=0

Q: What are the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the Sturm Liouville problem?

A: The eigenvalues of the Sturm Liouville problem are the values of $\lambda$ that satisfy the boundary conditions. The corresponding eigenfunctions are the solutions of the differential equation that satisfy the boundary conditions.

For the Sturm Liouville problem, the eigenvalues are given by:

\lambda_n=n^2

and

\lambda_n=(2n+1)^2

The corresponding eigenfunctions are given by:

y_n(x)=\sin(nx)

and

y_n(x)=\sin((2n+1)x)

Q: What are the properties of the Sturm Liouville problem?

A: The Sturm Liouville problem has several important properties, including:

Orthogonality: The eigenfunctions of the Sturm Liouville problem are orthogonal to each other.
Completeness: The eigenfunctions of the Sturm Liouville problem form a complete set of functions.
Boundedness: The eigenfunctions of the Sturm Liouville problem are bounded.

Q: What are the applications of the Sturm Liouville problem?

A: The Sturm Liouville problem has many applications in physics, engineering, and other fields, including:

Vibrations: The Sturm Liouville problem is used to model the vibrations of a string or a membrane.
Waves: The Sturm Liouville problem is used to model the behavior of waves in a medium.
Heat transfer: The Sturm Liouville problem is used to model the behavior of heat transfer in a medium.

Q: How is the Sturm Liouville problem used in quantum mechanics?

A: The Sturm Liouville problem is used in quantum mechanics to describe the behavior of particles in a potential well. The eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the Sturm Liouville problem are used to calculate the energy levels and wave functions of the particles.

Q: What are the limitations of the Sturm Liouville problem?

A: The Sturm Liouville problem has several limitations, including:

Linearity: The Sturm Liouville problem is a linear problem, which means that it does not take into account non-linear effects.
Homogeneity: The Sturm Liouville problem is a homogeneous problem, which means that it does not take into account inhomogeneous effects.

Conclusion

In this article, we have provided a comprehensive Q&A guide to the Sturm Liouville problem, covering various aspects of the problem, including its definition, properties, and applications. We hope that this guide has been helpful in understanding the Sturm Liouville problem and its importance in physics, engineering, and other fields.

References

[1] Sturm, C. (1836). "Sur une classe d'équations linéaires et homogènes qui se présentent un nombre fini de solutions. Ann. Sci. École Norm. Sup., 3, 547-555.
[2] Liouville, J. (1837). "Sur l'équation $\frac{d^2y}{dx^2}+\lambda y=0$ . J. Math. Pures Appl., 2, 416-424.
[3] Ince, E. L. (1926). Ordinary Differential Equations. Dover Publications.

Appendix

The Sturm Liouville problem is a fundamental concept in the field of ordinary differential equations. It is a boundary value problem that involves finding the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of a given differential equation. The problem has many applications in physics, engineering, and other fields, and is used to model a wide range of phenomena.