Fourier Series and Simple Applications

Rahul Singh

1 Introduction
For any integrable and periodic function f on the interval [−L, L], we define the Fourier
series of f to be given by
∞
a0 X nπx nπx
f (x) ∼ + (an cos + bn sin ) (1)
2 n=1
L L

Since sin and cos functions are orthogonal we have

1 −L
Z
mπx
an = f (x) cos dx (2)
L −L L

Similarly we have, Z −L
1 mπx
bn = f (x) sin dx (3)
L −L L
And Z −L
1
a0 = f (x)dx (4)
L −L

if we simply put L = π we have

∞
a0 X
f (x) ∼ + (an cos nx + bn sin nx)
2 n=1

2 Complex form
Using Euler’s formula the above equation can be written as
∞
X
f (x) ∼ cn einx (5)
n=−∞

1
 here cn is equal to
an
+ b2in

 2
n = 1, 2, 3....
a0
cn = 2
n=0
a− n
− b−2in n = −1, −2, −3....

2

And Z π
1
cn (f ) = f (x)e−inx dx
2π −π

3 Applications in Physics
3.1 Periodically forced oscillations
Forced oscillations occur when an oscillating system is driven by a periodic force that is
external to the oscillating system. In such a case, the oscillator is compelled to move at the
frequency νD = ω2πD of the driving force. Consider a spring-mass system with mass m, spring
constant k, and damping c.

Hence we know the the force F (t) is given by

mx”(t) + cx0 (t) + kx(t) = f (t)

for simplicity, let c = 0 i.e no energy is lost. Hence we know for the equation mx” + kx = 0
has the general solution
x(t) = A cos(ω0 t) + B sin(ω0 t)
r
k
ω0 =
m
Hence now for the equation mx”(t) + kx(t) = f (t) the general solution is given by

A cos(ω0 t) + B sin(ω0 t) + xsp

. The steady periodic solution xsp has the same period as f(t). Hence we can write
∞
c0 X  nπ   nπ 
F (t) = + cn cos t + dn sin t .
2 n=1
L L

And hence the steady periodic function to be

∞
a0 X  nπ   nπ 
x(t) = + an cos t + bn sin t ,
2 n=1
L L

2
 we can find an and bn by plugging x into the differential equation.

Example
Suppose that k=2 and m=1. The units are again the mks units (meters-kilograms-seconds).
There is a jetpack strapped to the mass, which fires with a force of 1 newton for 1 second
and then is off for 1 second, and so on. We want to find the steady periodic solution. Since,
k=2, m=1 the equation is therefore

x00 + 2x = F (t),

F(t) is the step function given by

(
0 if −1 < t < 0,
F (t) =
1 if 0 < t < 1,

hence we write
∞
c0 X
F (t) = + cn cos(nπt) + dn sin(nπt).
2 n=1

*computation of the constants*

Z 1 Z 1
cn = F (t) cos(nπt) dt = cos(nπt) dt = 0 for n ≥ 1,
−1 0
Z 1 Z 1
c0 = F (t) dt = dt = 1,
−1 0
Z 1
dn = F (t) sin(nπt) dt
−1
Z 1
= sin(nπt) dt
0
 1
− cos(nπt)
=
nπ t=0
(
n 2
1 − (−1) if n odd,
= = πn
πn 0 if n even.

Hence, we have
∞
1 X 2
F (t) = + sin(nπt).
2 n=1
πn
n odd

3
 now considering
∞
a0 X
x(t) = + an cos(nπt) + bn sin(nπt).
2 n=1

we can see that an = 0 from the differential eq x” + 2x = F (t) since F(t) doesn’t have a
corresponding term. Similarly bn = 0 for all even n. Hence the expression for x(t) is reduced
to ∞
a0 X
x(t) = + bn sin(nπt).
2 n=1
n odd

Putting this expression in the differential eq we get

∞ h
X i ∞ h
X i
00 2 2
x + 2x = −bn n π sin(nπt) + a0 + 2 bn sin(nπt)
n=1 n=1
n odd n odd
∞
X
= a0 + bn (2 − n2 π 2 ) sin(nπt)
n=1
n odd
∞
1 X 2
= F (t) = + sin(nπt).
2 n=1
πn
n odd

1
hence, a0 = 2
and bn = 0 for all even n. For odd n we have

2
bn = .
πn(2 − n2 π 2 )

Hence the steady periodic solution has the fourier series

∞
1 X 2
xsp (t) = + 2π2)
sin(nπt).
4 n=1
πn(2 − n
n odd

1
Please note that it was simply assumed that the fourier series converges the function however we haven’t
proved that yet.

4
3.2 Resonance
p
If an undamped oscillator is driven at its resonance frequency, ω = k/m, the solution
grows continuously with time. This is called a pure resonance. The differential equation
that describes a pure resonance is

d2 x
m + kx = f0 cos(ωt).
dt2
let f0 cos(ωt) = F (t)
Just as when the forcing function was a simple cosine, we may encounter resonance.
Assume c = 0 and let us discuss only pure resonance. Let F (t) be 2L-periodic and consider

mx00 (t) + kx(t) = F (t).

When we expand F (t) and find that some of its terms coincide with the complementary
solution to mx00 + kx = 0, we cannot use those terms in the guess. Just like before, they
disappear when we plug them into the left-hand side. That is, suppose

xc = A cos(ω0 t) + B sin(ω0 t),

Nπ
where ω0 = L
for some positive integer N . We have to modify our guess and try

     X ∞
a0 Nπ Nπ  nπ   nπ 
x(t) = + t aN cos t + bN sin t + an cos t + bn sin t .
2 L L n=1
L L
n6=N

In other words, we multiply the offending term by t. From then on, we proceed as before.
Of course, the solution is not a Fourier series (it is not even
periodic) since

it contains
Nπ Nπ
these terms multiplied by t. Further, the terms t aN cos L t + bN sin L t eventually
dominate and lead to wild oscillations. As before, this behavior is called pure resonance or
just resonance. Note that there now may be infinitely many resonance frequencies to hit.
That is, as we change the frequency of F (we change L), different terms from the Fourier
series of F may interfere with the complementary solution and cause resonance. However, we
should note that since everything is an approximation and in particular c is never actually
zero but something very close to zero, only the first few resonance frequencies matter in real
life.

Example
We want to solve the equation
2x00 + 18π 2 x = F (t), (4.10)
where (
−1 if −1 < t < 0,
F (t) =
1 if 0 < t < 1,
extended periodically. We note that

5
 ∞
X 4
F (t) = sin(nπt).
n=1
πn
n odd
q q
k 18π 2
As m
= 2
= 3π, the solution to is

x(t) = c1 cos(3πt) + c2 sin(3πt) + xp (t)

for some particular solution xp .
If we just try an xp given as a Fourier series with sin(nπt) as usual, the complementary
equation, 2x00 + 18π 2 x = 0, eats our 3rd harmonic. That is, the term with sin(3πt) is already
in our complementary solution. Therefore, we pull that term out and multiply it by t. We
also add a cosine term to get everything right. That is, we try
∞
X
xp (t) = a3 t cos(3πt) + b3 t sin(3πt) + bn sin(nπt).
n=1
n odd
n6=3

Let us compute the second derivative.

x00p (t) = −6a3 π sin(3πt) − 9π 2 a3 t cos(3πt) + 6b3 π cos(3πt) − 9π 2 b3 t sin(3πt)

X∞
+ (−n2 π 2 bn ) sin(nπt).
n=1
n odd
n6=3

We now plug into the left-hand side of the differential equation

2x00p + 18π 2 xp =amp; −12a3 π sin(3πt) − 18π 2 a3 t cos(3πt) + 12b3 π cos(3πt) − 18π 2 b3 t sin(3πt)
amp; + 18π 2 a3 t cos(3πt) + 18π 2 b3 t sin(3πt)
∞
X
amp; + (−2n2 π 2 bn + 18π 2 bn ) sin(nπt).
n=1
n odd
n6=3

We simplify,
∞
X
2x00p + 18π 2 xp = −12a3 π sin(3πt) + 12b3 π cos(3πt) + (−2n2 π 2 bn + 18π 2 bn ) sin(nπt).
n=1
n odd
n6=3

This series has to equal to the series for F (t). We equate the coefficients and solve for a3
and bn .
4/(3π) −1
amp; a3 = = 2,
−12π 9π
amp; b3 = 0,
4 2
amp; bn = = for n odd and n 6= 3.
nπ(18π 2 − 2n2 π 2 ) π 3 n(9 − n2 )

6
That is ∞
−1 X 2
xp (t) = 2 t cos(3πt) + sin(nπt).
9π n=1
π n(9 − n2 )
3
n odd
n6=3