Paper 3, Section II, 39D

Waves
Part II, 2012

The function ϕ(x,t)\phi(x, t) satisfies the equation

ϕt+Uϕx+155ϕx5=0\frac{\partial \phi}{\partial t}+U \frac{\partial \phi}{\partial x}+\frac{1}{5} \frac{\partial^{5} \phi}{\partial x^{5}}=0

where U>0U>0 is a constant. Find the dispersion relation for waves of frequency ω\omega and wavenumber kk. Sketch a graph showing both the phase velocity c(k)c(k) and the group velocity cg(k)c_{g}(k), and state whether wave crests move faster or slower than a wave packet.

Suppose that ϕ(x,0)\phi(x, 0) is real and given by a Fourier transform as

ϕ(x,0)=A(k)eikxdk\phi(x, 0)=\int_{-\infty}^{\infty} A(k) e^{i k x} d k

Use the method of stationary phase to obtain an approximation for ϕ(Vt,t)\phi(V t, t) for fixed V>UV>U and large tt. If, in addition, ϕ(x,0)=ϕ(x,0)\phi(x, 0)=\phi(-x, 0), deduce an approximation for the sequence of times at which ϕ(Vt,t)=0\phi(V t, t)=0.

What can be said about ϕ(Vt,t)\phi(V t, t) if V<UV<U ? [Detailed calculation is not required in this case.]

[You may assume that eau2du=πa\int_{-\infty}^{\infty} e^{-a u^{2}} d u=\sqrt{\frac{\pi}{a}} for Re(a)0,a0.\operatorname{Re}(a) \geqslant 0, a \neq 0 . ]