06/12/2023, 13:02 functional analysis - Eigenfunctions of the Helmholtz equation in Toroidal geometry - Mathematics Stack Exchange

Eigenfunctions of the Helmholtz equation in Toroidal geometry

Asked 12 years, 10 months ago Modified 10 years, 5 months ago Viewed 2k times

the Helmholtz equation

2
Δψ + k ψ = 0
14
has a lot of fundamental applications in physics since it is a form of the wave equation
Δϕ − c
−2
∂tt ϕ = 0 with an assumed harmonic time dependence e ±iωt
.

k can be seen as some kind of potential - the equation is analogue to the stationary
Schrödinger equation.

The existance of solutions is to my knowledge linked to the separability of the Laplacian Δ

in certain coordinate systems. Examples are cartesian, elliptical and cylindrical ones.

For now I am interested in a toroidal geometry,

2
k to r ∈ T
k(r) = {
k out else

− −−−−− 2
where T 2
= {(x, y, z) : r
2 2 2 2
≥ (√ x + y − R) + z }

Hence the question:

Are there known solutions (in terms of eigenfunctions) of the Helmholtz equation
for the given geometry?

Thank you in advance

Sincerely

Robert

Edit: As Hans pointed out, there might not be any solution according to a corresponding
Wikipedia article. Unfortunately, there is no reference given - does anyone know where I
could find the proof?

functional-analysis partial-differential-equations physics

Share Cite Follow edited Apr 13, 2017 at 12:21 asked Jan 14, 2011 at 9:31
Community Bot Robert Filter
1 1,490 1 10 19
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06/12/2023, 13:02 functional analysis - Eigenfunctions of the Helmholtz equation in Toroidal geometry - Mathematics Stack Exchange

You probably mean R instead of R (if R has its usual interpretation). – Hans Lundmark Jan 14, 2011
2

at 10:49

Anyway, for what it's worth: Wikipedia

(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toroidal_coordinates#Standard_separation) claims (without pointing to any
specific source) that the Helmholtz equation is not separable in toroidal coordinates.
– Hans Lundmark Jan 14, 2011 at 10:50

@Hans: Thanks for pointing out to the error, I will correct it. And also thank you for the link. It really
is a pitty that there is no reference given. Greets – Robert Filter Jan 14, 2011 at 14:32

2 Another correction: existence of solutions is not linked to the coordinate system at all. The Laplace
operator (or the Laplace-Beltrami operator) are geometric, so does not depend on the coordinates
chosen. The existence of solutions however do depend on the global geometry of the manifold on
which you are asking for the solution: it has to do with the spectrum of the Laplace-Beltrami
operator. What you probably mean is "existence of nice, simple, closed-form expressions" of the
solutions. – Willie Wong Jan 14, 2011 at 17:35

@Willie Wong: Thank you for the correction. Indeed, I mean it in this way. It seems to as if it is just a
historic issue of applied mathematics that some "special" functions (trigonometric, Bessel etc) paved
their way into standard textbooks. Nevertheless, do you know if there are implicit definitions of
solutions available like the elliptic ones? If I remember correctly, the Greens function of the
Helmholtz equation is normally constructed from eigenfunctions of the Laplace... Isn't an application
of this procedure applicable here somehow? – Robert Filter Jan 14, 2011 at 19:05

Sorted by:
1 Answer
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Normally T means the Torus, which is a 2-manifold: T

2 2
≅ [0, 2πr] × [0, 2πR] , the
solution to
10 2
Δψ + k ψ = 0 (1)

−−−−−−−
bears the form: for m ∈ Z
2
,ψ k = e
im⋅x
, with |m| = √m
2
1
+ m
2
2
= k. The reason
behind this is that T ≅ S (r) × S (R) , and for (1) on S has eigenvectors e
2 1 1 1 imx
where
|m| = k , then the Fourier expansion on product spaces use basis ∏ e . imi x i

In your case it is actually a Toroid, according to the Field Theory Handbook the
chapter about rotational system, the Helmholtz equation is not separable in toroidal
geometry. Only Laplace equation is separable, please see section 6 in here.

By that wikipedia article about Toroidal coordinates: we make the substitution for (1) as
well:
−−−−−−−−−− −
ψ = u√cosh τ − cos σ,

then by the Laplacian in the toroidal geometry in that wiki entry:

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06/12/2023, 13:02 functional analysis - Eigenfunctions of the Helmholtz equation in Toroidal geometry - Mathematics Stack Exchange
3
(cosh τ − cos σ) ∂ 1 ∂Φ
Δψ = [sinh τ ( )
2
a sinh τ ∂σ cosh τ − cos σ ∂σ

2
∂ sinh τ ∂Φ 1 ∂ Φ
+ ( ) + ].
2
∂τ cosh τ − cos σ ∂τ sinh τ (cosh τ − cos σ) ∂ ϕ

(one extra thing to mention, the wiki entry failed to mention that a 2
= R
2
− r
2
)
Equation (1) can be reduced as follows:

2 2 2 2 2 2
∂ u cosh τ ∂ u 1 ∂ u ∂ u (R − r )k 1
+ + + + ( + ) u = 0.
2 2 2 2 2
∂τ sinh τ ∂τ sinh τ ∂ϕ ∂σ (cosh τ − cos σ) 4

For above equation, though we separate it in three variables in toroidal coordinates, we

can separate the ϕ variable:

u = K (τ , σ)Φ(ϕ).

The equation becomes:

2 2 2 2
cosh τ ∂ K (R − r )k 1 m
Δτ ,σ K + + ( + − ) K = 0, (2)
2 2
sinh τ ∂τ (cosh τ − cos σ) 4 sinh τ

and

′′ 2
Φ + m Φ = 0.

Hence u m
= K (τ , σ)e
imθ
, and K satisfies (2). If someone knows how to proceed using
analytical method for (2), I am interested in it as well.

Share Cite Follow answered Jun 29, 2013 at 23:20

Shuhao Cao
18.8k 4 55 109

1 Dear Shuhao, thanks for your answer, although my thanks is quite late. Thanks for your
argumentation and calculation. Most valuable, though, seems to be the reference to Boyer et al.,
Nagoya Math. J. 60 (1976) you provided and therein, P. Morse and H. Feshbach, "Methods of
Theoretical Physics", a must-have. – Robert Filter Jan 2, 2014 at 12:17

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