EqWorld

http://eqworld.ipmnet.ru

Exact Solutions > Linear Partial Differential Equations >

Second-Order Elliptic Partial Differential Equations > Helmholtz Equation

3.3. Helmholtz Equation w + w = (x)

Many problems related to steady-state oscillations (mechanical, acoustical, thermal, electromagnetic) lead to the two-dimensional Helmholtz equation. For < 0, this equation describes mass
transfer processes with volume chemical reactions of the first order.
The two-dimensional Helmholtz equation has the following form:
2w
+
x2

1
w
1
r
+ 2
r r
r
r

2w
+ w = (x, y) in the Cartesian coordinate system,
y 2
2w
+ w = (r, ) in the polar coordinate system.
2

3.3-1. Particular solutions of the homogeneous Helmholtz equation with 0.

1 . Particular solutions of the homogeneous Helmholtz equation in the Cartesian coordinate system:
w = (A cos 1 x + B sin 1 x)(C cos 2 y + D sin 2 y),

= 21 + 22 ,

w = (A cos 1 x + B sin 1 x)(C cosh 2 y + D sinh 2 y),

= 21 22 ,

w = (A cosh 1 x + B sinh 1 x)(C cos 2 y + D sin 2 y),

= 21 + 22 ,

w = (A cosh 1 x + B sinh 1 x)(C cosh 2 y + D sinh 2 y),

= 21 22 ,

where A, B, C, and D are arbitrary constants.

2 . Particular solutions of the homogeneous Helmholtz equation in the polar coordinate system:
w = [AJm (r) + BYm (r)](C cos m + D sin m),

= 2 ,

w = [AIm (r) + BKm (r)](C cos m + D sin m), = 2 ,

where m = 1, 2, . . . ; A, B, C, D are arbitrary constants; the Jm () and Ym () are the Bessel
functions; and the Im () and Km () are the modified Bessel functions.
3.3-2. Domain: < x < , < y < .
1 . Solution for = s 2 < 0:
Z Z
1
w(x, y) =
(, )K0 (s%) d d,
2
2 . Solution for = k 2 > 0:
Z Z
i
(, )H0(2) (k%) d d,
w(x, y) =
4

%=

p
(x )2 + (y )2 .

%=

p
(x )2 + (y )2 ,

where H0(2) (z) is the Hankel function of the second kind of order 0. The radiation conditions
(Sommerfeld conditions) at infinity were used to obtain this solution.
3.3-3. Domain: < x < , 0 y < . First boundary value problem.
A half-plane is considered. A boundary condition is prescribed:
w = f (x)

at
1

y = 0.

HELMHOLTZ EQUATION

Solution:

w(x, y) =

f ()

Z Z

G(x, y, , )
d +
(, )G(x, y, , ) d d.

=0

1 . The Greens function for = s 2 < 0:

1
K0 (s%1 ) K0 (s%2 ) ,
2
p
p
2
%1 = (x ) + (y )2 , %2 = (x )2 + (y + )2 .
2 . The Greens function for = k 2 > 0:

i
G(x, y, , ) = H0(2) (k%1 ) H0(2) (k%2 ) .
4
G(x, y, , ) =

3.3-4. Domain: 0 x a, 0 y b. First boundary value problem.

A rectangle is considered. Boundary conditions are prescribed:
w = f1 (y) at x = 0,
w = f2 (y) at x = a,
w = f3 (x) at y = 0,
w = f4 (x) at y = b.
1 . Eigenvalues of the homogeneous problem with 0 (it is convenient to label them with a
double subscript):
2

n
m2
nm = 2
+
;
n = 1, 2, . . . ; m = 1, 2, . . .
a2
b2
Eigenfunctions and the norm squared:

nx
my
ab
wnm = sin
sin
,
kwnm k2 =
.
a
b
4
2 . Solution for nm :
Z aZ b
w(x, y) =
(, )G(x, y, , ) d d
0

f2 ()
G(x, y, , )
d

0
0
=0
=a

Z a
Z a

+
G(x, y, , )
d
G(x, y, , )
d.
f3 ()
f4 ()

0
0
=0
=b
Two forms of representation of the Greens function:

2 X sin(pn x) sin(pn )
2 X sin(qm y) sin(qm )
G(x, y, , ) =
Hn (y, ) =
Qm (x, ),
a
n sinh(n b)
b
m sinh(m a)
Z

f1 ()

G(x, y, , )

n=1

where
n
pn =
,
a
m
qm =
,
b

m=1

q
n =

p2n

q
m =

2 ,
qm

sinh(n ) sinh[n (b y)]

sinh(n y) sinh[n (b )]

sinh(m ) sinh[m (a x)]

Qm (x, ) =
sinh(m x) sinh[m (a )]

Hn (y, ) =

for
for
for
for

b y > 0,
b > y 0,
a x > 0,
a > x 0.

References
Budak, B. M., Samarskii, A. A., and Tikhonov, A. N., Collection of Problems on Mathematical Physics [in Russian],
Nauka, Moscow, 1980.
Tikhonov, A. N. and Samarskii, A. A., Equations of Mathematical Physics, Dover Publ., New York, 1990.
Polyanin, A. D., Handbook of Linear Partial Differential Equations for Engineers and Scientists , Chapman & Hall/CRC,
2002.
Helmholtz Equation
c 2004 Andrei D. Polyanin
Copyright

http://eqworld.ipmnet.ru/en/solutions/lpde/lpde303.pdf