Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-algebra-analysis-and-differential-equations-1-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2013/differential-equations/8/d/solution
Past exam of the algebra, analysis and differential equations 1 course of the University of Oxford 2013 Differential Equations 8 d Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-31
Differentiate the uniquely determined lower solution and the zero upper solution:Their one-sided traces areThey disagree, for example at , so the normal derivative is not continuous across the interface. The jump, defined as upper trace minus lower trace, is . It vanishes at the two interior points , but not identically on the interface.
This illustrates that continuous transmission need not preserve normal derivatives. In fact, at any point where these traces differ, the two-sided first derivative with respect to does not exist. The resulting function is continuous and smooth separately on each open side, but is not globally . Consequently a globally classical solution satisfying all these data cannot exist. The calculation in part (c) evaluates the smooth lower formula on the interface; it does not supply the missing cross-interface regularity.
Continuous piecewise solution and unequal normal derivative traces
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