Paper 2, Section II, B

Variational Principles
Part IB, 2012

(i) A two-dimensional oscillator has action

S=t0t1{12x˙2+12y˙212ω2x212ω2y2}dtS=\int_{t_{0}}^{t_{1}}\left\{\frac{1}{2} \dot{x}^{2}+\frac{1}{2} \dot{y}^{2}-\frac{1}{2} \omega^{2} x^{2}-\frac{1}{2} \omega^{2} y^{2}\right\} d t

Find the equations of motion as the Euler-Lagrange equations associated to SS, and use them to show that

J=x˙yy˙xJ=\dot{x} y-\dot{y} x

is conserved. Write down the general solution of the equations of motion in terms of sin ωt\omega t and cosωt\cos \omega t, and evaluate JJ in terms of the coefficients which arise in the general solution.

(ii) Another kind of oscillator has action

S~=t0t1{12x˙2+12y˙214αx412βx2y214αy4}dt\widetilde{S}=\int_{t_{0}}^{t_{1}}\left\{\frac{1}{2} \dot{x}^{2}+\frac{1}{2} \dot{y}^{2}-\frac{1}{4} \alpha x^{4}-\frac{1}{2} \beta x^{2} y^{2}-\frac{1}{4} \alpha y^{4}\right\} d t

where α\alpha and β\beta are real constants. Find the equations of motion and use these to show that in general J=x˙yy˙xJ=\dot{x} y-\dot{y} x is not conserved. Find the special value of the ratio β/α\beta / \alpha for which JJ is conserved. Explain what is special about the action S~\widetilde{S}in this case, and state the interpretation of JJ.