Paper 4, Section II, 38C

Waves
Part II, 2013

A wave disturbance satisfies the equation

2ψt2c22ψx2+c2ψ=0\frac{\partial^{2} \psi}{\partial t^{2}}-c^{2} \frac{\partial^{2} \psi}{\partial x^{2}}+c^{2} \psi=0

where cc is a positive constant. Find the dispersion relation, and write down the solution to the initial-value problem for which ψ/t(x,0)=0\partial \psi / \partial t(x, 0)=0 for all xx, and ψ(x,0)\psi(x, 0) is given in the form

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

where A(k)A(k) is a real function with A(k)=A(k)A(k)=A(-k), so that ψ(x,0)\psi(x, 0) is real and even.

Use the method of stationary phase to obtain an approximation to ψ(x,t)\psi(x, t) for large tt, with x/tx / t taking the constant value VV, and 0V<c0 \leqslant V<c. Explain briefly why your answer is inappropriate if V>cV>c.

[You are given that

exp(iu2)du=π1/2eiπ/4.]\left.\int_{-\infty}^{\infty} \exp \left(i u^{2}\right) d u=\pi^{1 / 2} e^{i \pi / 4} .\right]