AMATH 353

Partial Differential Equations and Waves

Weston Barger
Summer 2016
Homework 3
Due: July 12, 2016

1. Part a.
Assume that a, ν ∈ R \ {0} (i.e. a 6= 0 and ν 6= 0). Using u = e ikx –i ωt , find the dispersion relation
for the following PDEs:

(a) utt = a 2 uxx

(b) utt + a 2 uxxxx = 0
(c) ut + ux + uxxx = 0
(d) ut + aux = νuxx

Part b.
ω(k )
An equation is said to be dispersive if the phase velocity cp (k ) = k is (a) a real number when
k is a real number and (b) is non-constant. Classify each of the equations in part a as dispersive or
non-dispersive.

Part c.
Explain how wave train solutions with different wave numbers k of a dispersive PDE behave. How is
this different from an equation whose wave speed cp (k ) is constant?

Solution.

(a) i. ±ak
ii. ±ak 2
iii. k – k 3
iv. ak – ik 2 ν

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 (b) i. non-dispersive
ii. dispersive
iii. dispersive
iv. non-dispersive
(c) Waves with different wave numbers k disperse i.e. move apart as time moves forward. If cp (k ) is
constant, this is not the case.

2. We talked about the KdV equation in class:

ut + uux + uxxx = 0.

Consider the equation

αut + βuux + γuxxx = 0,

where α, β and γ are non-zero constants. Show that by using a scaling transformation

x̂ = ax , t̂ = bt , û = cu,

this equation can be turned in to the KdV equation for û as a function of x̂ and t̂ , by making an
appropriate choice for a, b and c.
In practice, this amounts to using different units for x , t and u. Thus, the coefficients of the KdV
equation are entirely irrelevant.
Solution. Using the chain rule, we see that

∂u b ∂u a ∂3u a3
{eq:chain} = ût̂ , = ûx̂ , = û . (0.1)
∂t c ∂x c ∂x 3 c x̂ x̂ x̂
Inserting (0.1) into KdV yields

αb βa γa 3
ût̂ + 2 û ûx̂ + û = 0.
c c c x̂ x̂ x̂
We thus have the system
√ !
αb βa γa 3 5
β β 3/5 β 3/5
= 2 = =1 ⇒ (a, b, c) = , √ , √ ,
c c c γ 2/5 α 5 γ 5 γ

Choosing the values of a, b and c found above yields the standard KdV equation after the variable
change defined in the exercise.

3. Exercise 7.1
Solution. We see that the term –Ru contributes negatively to the acceleration (i.e. pulls toward the
x -axis) the vibrating string when u(x , t ) > 0. Likewise, when u(x , t ) < 0, the term –Ru contributes
positively to the acceleration (i.e. pulls toward the x -axis). Overall, this slows the string at a rate
proportional to the size of the wave. The force –Fut has an opposite sign from the vertical velocity
because friction slows the string i.e. pulls the string towards the x -axis.

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4. Find the solution of the following initial value problem

 x ∈ (–∞, ∞), t ∈ [0, ∞)


utt = uxx u(x , 0) = sin(x )
 u (x , 0) = xe –x 2


t

Solution. By d’Alembert’s solution,

1 x +t –y 2
Z
1
u(x , t ) =(sin(x – t ) + sin(x + t )) + ye dy
2 4 x –t
1 1  –(t –x )2 2

= (sin(x – t ) + sin(x + t )) + e – e –(t +x ) .
2 4

5. Find the solution of the following initial boundary value problem


 x ∈ (0, ∞), t ∈ [0, ∞)



 u(0, t ) = 1
utt = uxx


 u(x , 0) = cos(x )
2
ut (x , 0) = xe –x



Solution. Following the technique for the semi-infinite BVP given in Lecture 5 (which is on canvas),
we have
  
 1 (cos(x + t ) – cos(t – x )) + 1 e –(t –x )2 – e –(t +x )2 + 1 x <t
2 4 
u(x , t ) = 
 1 (cos(x + t ) + cos(x – t )) + 1 e –(x –t )2 – e –(t +x )2 x ≥t
2 4