Arfken Mathematical Methods 7e: Section 10.1 - Exercise 10.1.

5 Page 1 of 3

Exercise 10.1.5
Construct the Green’s function for
d2 y dy
x2 2
+x + (k 2 x2 − 1)y = 0,
dx dx
subject to the boundary conditions y(0) = 0, y(1) = 0.

Solution

The Green’s function for an operator L satisfies

LG = δ(x − t).

Part (a)

For the operator L = x2 (d2 /dx2 ) + x(d/dx) + k 2 x2 − 1, this equation becomes

d2 G dG
x2 +x + (k 2 x2 − 1)G = δ(x − t). (1)
dx2 dx
If x 6= t, then the right side is zero.

d2 G dG
x2 2
+x + (k 2 x2 − 1)G = 0, x 6= t
dx dx
The general solution can be written in terms of first-order Bessel functions of the first and second
kind. Different constants are needed for x < t and for x > t.
(
C1 J1 (kx) + C2 Y1 (kx) if 0 ≤ x < t
G(x, t) =
C3 J1 (kx) + C4 Y1 (kx) if t < x ≤ 1

Four conditions are needed to determine these four constants. Two of them are obtained from the
provided boundary conditions.

G(0, t) = 0 ⇒ C2 = 0
J1 (k)
G(1, t) = C3 J1 (k) + C4 Y1 (k) = 0 → C4 = −C3
Y1 (k)
As a result, the Green’s function becomes
(
C1 J1 (kx) if 0 ≤ x < t
G(x, t) = J1 (k) .
C3 J1 (kx) − C3 Y1 (k) Y1 (kx) if t < x ≤ 1

The third condition comes from the fact that the Green’s function must be continuous at x = t:
G(t−, t) = G(t+, t).

J1 (k)
C1 J1 (kt) = C3 J1 (kt) − C3 Y1 (kt)
Y1 (k)
J1 (kt)Y1 (k) − J1 (k)Y1 (kt)
= C3
Y1 (k)

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Arfken Mathematical Methods 7e: Section 10.1 - Exercise 10.1.5 Page 2 of 3

Solve for C1 .
J1 (kt)Y1 (k) − J1 (k)Y1 (kt)
C1 = C3 (2)
J1 (kt)Y1 (k)
The fourth and final condition is obtained from the defining equation of the Green’s function,
equation (1).
d2 G dG
x2 2 + x + (k 2 x2 − 1)G = δ(x − t)
dx dx
Integrate both sides with respect to x from t− to t+.
ˆ t+  2
 ˆ t+
2d G dG 2 2
x +x + (k x − 1)G dx = δ(x − t) dx
t− dx2 dx t−
ˆ t+ ˆ t+ ˆ t+ ˆ t+
d2 G dG
x2 2 dx + x dx + 2 2
(k x − 1)G dx = δ(x − t) dx
t− dx t− dx
| t− {z } | t− {z }
=0 =1
t+ ˆ t+ ˆ t+
2 dG  dG dG

x − (2x) dx + x dx = 1
dx t− t− dx t− dx
t+ ˆ t+
2 dG  dG

x − x dx = 1
dx t− t− dx
t+ t+ ˆ t+
2 dG 
 
x − xG(x, t)  + (1)G(x, t) dx = 1
dx t− 
t− t−
t+ ˆ t+
2 dG 

x − t[G(t+, t) − G(t−, t)] + G(x, t) dx = 1
dx t− | {z } t−
=0 | {z }
=0
 
dG dG
t2 (t+, t) − (t−, t) = 1
dx dx
Divide both sides by t2 .
dG dG 1
(t+, t) − (t−, t) = 2
dx dx t
  
d J1 (k)  d  1
C3 J1 (kx) − C3 Y1 (kx) 
 − [C1 J1 (kx)] = 2
dx Y1 (k) x=t dx x=t t
k Y1 (k)[J0 (kt) − J2 (kt)] − J1 (k)[Y0 (kt) − Y2 (kt)] k 1
C3 − C1 [J0 (kt) − J2 (kt)] = 2
2 Y1 (k) 2 t
Multiply both sides by 2/k and substitute equation (2) for C1 .

Y1 (k)[J0 (kt) − J2 (kt)] − J1 (k)[Y0 (kt) − Y2 (kt)] J1 (kt)Y1 (k) − J1 (k)Y1 (kt) 2
C3 − C3 [J0 (kt) − J2 (kt)] = 2
Y1 (k) J1 (kt)Y1 (k) kt

J0 (kt)J1 (k)Y1 (kt) − J1 (k)J1 (kt)Y0 (kt) − J1 (k)J2 (kt)Y1 (kt) + J1 (k)J1 (kt)Y2 (kt) 2
C3 = 2
J1 (kt)Y1 (k) kt

Y1 (kt)[J0 (kt) − J2 (kt)] − J1 (kt)[Y0 (kt) − Y2 (kt)] 2

C3 J1 (k) = 2
J1 (kt)Y1 (k) kt

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Arfken Mathematical Methods 7e: Section 10.1 - Exercise 10.1.5 Page 3 of 3

Solve for C3 .
2 1 J1 (kt)Y1 (k)
C3 = 2
kt J1 (k) Y1 (kt)[J0 (kt) − J2 (kt)] − J1 (kt)[Y0 (kt) − Y2 (kt)]
Use equation (2) to get C1 .

J1 (kt)Y1 (k) − J1 (k)Y1 (kt)

C1 = C3
J1 (kt)Y1 (k)
2 1 J1 (kt)Y1 (k) − J1 (k)Y1 (kt)
= 2
kt J1 (k) Y1 (kt)[J0 (kt) − J2 (kt)] − J1 (kt)[Y0 (kt) − Y2 (kt)]

The Green’s function for L = x2 (d2 /dx2 ) + x(d/dx) + k 2 x2 − 1 subject to the provided boundary
conditions is then
2 J1 (kx) J1 (kt)Y1 (k) − J1 (k)Y1 (kt)


 2
if 0 ≤ x < t
 kt J1 (k) Y1 (kt)[J0 (kt) − J2 (kt)] − J1 (kt)[Y0 (kt) − Y2 (kt)]

G(x, t) = .

 2 J1 (kt) J1 (kx)Y1 (k) − J1 (k)Y1 (kx)

 if t < x ≤ 1
kt2 J1 (k) Y1 (kt)[J0 (kt) − J2 (kt)] − J1 (kt)[Y0 (kt) − Y2 (kt)]

This formula can be simplified by using the identity,

4
Y1 (kt)[J0 (kt) − J2 (kt)] − J1 (kt)[Y0 (kt) − Y2 (kt)] = − .
πkt
Therefore,

π J1 (kx)

 [J (k)Y1 (kt) − J1 (kt)Y1 (k)] if 0 ≤ x < t
 2t J1 (k) 1


G(x, t) = .

 π J1 (kt)

 [J1 (k)Y1 (kx) − J1 (kx)Y1 (k)] if t < x ≤ 1
2t J1 (k)

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