NPTEL Physics Mathematical Physics - 1

Lecture 23
Representation of the Dirac delta function in other coordinate systems
In a general sense, one can write,

( ) = ( ) ( ) ( )
=

( )( )()
||

Where J represents the Jacobian of the transformation.

a) Cylindrical Coordinate System
The volume element in given by,
dv = d d dz

|
(, , ) =

x = cos

y = sin
z=z

cos sin 0
= | sin cos 0 |
0
0
1
The determinant is J which is

cos2 + sin2 =
Thus ( ) =

( )( )( )

Also,
(, , ) = (, , )( ) ( )( )

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1
= (, , ) ( ) ( 0 ) ( )

= ( , , )

b) Spherical polar coordinate system

Following the definition as before,

( ) ( ) ( 0 )
) =
(
2
and (, , ) = (, , ).
An important relation in Electrodynamics
Let us first state the relation,
2 (1) = 4()

We shall prove the above relation now.

2=
Using

1
2

( 2

2 (1) = 0 for all > 0.

But as 0 the above identity does not stand as the operator itself in not defined
at = 0 . (because of the factor

1
2

). To know the behavior at = 0, consider

Gauss's divergence theorem.

0

. = . 0

( 1) =
Suppose =

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In order to evaluate the divergence of at the origin ( = 0) Consider a sphere of

radius R surrounding the origin. On the surface,|| has a constant value

1
2

Integrating over the spherical surface as shown in figure,

=

.

2
1

(.
) 2
2
=0 =0

= 4
The answer we have got is independent of R.
Thus putting it in the divergence theorem,
.
(1) = . = 4

2 (1) = 4
The above result is true even in the limit R0 Using the integral property of the function
() = 1

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Thus, 2( ) = 4 ()

In a general sense, we can write

1

2 (
) = 4 ( )
| |

Applications to Physical Problems

As derived earlier,
1

2 ( ) = 4(r)
r

(1)

Where =
The electrostatic potential is of the function

() =
Thus, multiplying Eq. (1) with

2 (

40

40

(r) = (r) =
)=
40
40
0
0

Thus we recover the Laplaces equation.

Completeness condition of Special functions in terms of - function
in quantum mechanics, the wavefunctions for a harmonic oscillator wavefunctions
are given by,

n (x)=An Hn (x)

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n = 0,1,2 ..

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Corresponding to an energy spectrum given by

1

= ( + 2)

is the frequency and () represents a complete set of orthonormal functions in

the domain < < . Hn's are called the Hermite polynomials and AN is the
normalization constant,
=

1
12 2 !

The orthogonality of the wave function is represented by,

() () =

Since n(x) are assumed to form a complete set of functions, we can expand any
well behaved function () as

() = ()

We multiply above by () and integrated to obtain,

() () = () ()

= =
Thus, substituting for

() = [ ( ) ()] = ()

Where the primed summation is used as a dummy variable. Interchanging the

summation and integration,

() = ()[ () ( )]

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Since the wavefunction forms an orthonormal set,

( ) ( ) = ( ): completeness condition.
Thus plugging in the form forn (x) in terms of the Hermite polynomials,
1

2 + 2 )/2

=0

(x) ( ) = ( ) For - < x, x<

2!

Similarly for the Legendre polynomials, ()

1
2

=0 (2 + 1) () = ( ) 1 , 1

Similarly for sinusoidal functions,

() = =
2

;0

( ) For 0 x, x L

Tutorial
1. Evaluate the integral,
6

2 (3 2 2 1)( 3)

Solution: Using ()( ) = ()

Here () = ( = 3) = 27 6 1 = 20

2. Show that

Solution: () [

() = ()

()] = ()()|

(())()

Where () is an arbitrary function.

The first term on the RHS is zero as
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() = 0 at =
Also

(()) = () + ()

Thus LHS = ( () +

) ()

= 0 (0) = (0) = ()()

Thus,

() = ()
Proved.

3. Show that the derivative of a -function is a -function. A -function is defined

by,
() = 1 for > 0
= 0 for 0
Solution: Proceeding as in the previous problem,

() = ()()|
()

= () 0

= () () + (0)
= (0)

= ()()

Thus,

= ()

4. Prove that
1

() = || () where is a constant
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Solution:

()()
Changing variable from =

= and =
If is positive then the integration runs from to +. With as negative,
= implies = and vice versa. Thus the limits are interchanged for
negative that entails a negative sign.

()() = () ()

= (0)

= || (0)
The proof follows in the same manner at problems (2) and (3).
5. Evaluate the integral
0
. r2)
= (
r

Where v is a sphere of radius R.

Solution:

= 4 3 ()
= 4 0 = 4

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