Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2004/iii/paper-62/3/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2004 iii Paper 62 3 Solution by
Codex 0 Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
The truncated fields must be interpreted as a Galerkin method approximation: project each equation onto its retained spatial modes and discard orthogonal higher harmonics. They are not an exact pointwise solution of the full partial differential equations, because the nonlinear terms generate additional harmonics. Write , , and abbreviate the printed normalizations byThen , , and . All five amplitudes a,b,c,d,e depend on . Use the spatial Jacobian determinant and the inner product over the stated rectangle. Orthogonality of the trigonometric modes makes projection equivalent to retaining their coefficients. In particular, , so .
For the temperature equation, direct products giveThe other temperature contribution is . Since , its retained component is . Thus the projected temperature equation isHere the dot denotes . Since and , these equations give and .
Similarly, the two magnetic-advection products arewhile has retained component . The projected induction equation is thereforeUsing and gives and .
It remains to project the Lorentz force in the vorticity equation. The linear term is . The nonlinear cross term isThe Jacobian on the right is . Its retained component is , so the total retained magnetic term isMeanwhile the projected acceleration, viscous term and temperature forcing have coefficients , , and . Divide the projected vorticity equation by to obtain , using and . This derives the complete five-mode vertical-field magnetoconvection system:The Rayleigh number, Chandrasekhar number, Prandtl number and magnetic-to-thermal diffusivity ratio enter through r,q, and respectively.
Linearization at the zero-amplitude state leaves c and e with negative rates and , while a,b,d have coefficient matrixA zero eigenvector satisfies , and . Thus the stationary threshold is . The reversal symmetry makes the nontrivial steady states occur as a pair.
For these nonzero steady states put . The temperature equations give and , so and . The induction equations give and . With , their solution isHere gives , and positive diffusivity gives . Substituting these amplitudes into the stationary a equation and dividing by a yields the stationary branch of five-mode magnetoconvection:At this meets . Expansion in givesThe denominator of its initial slope is positive, and its numerator after multiplication by isTherefore gives a supercritical pitchfork bifurcation direction, and gives a subcritical pitchfork bifurcation direction. If , the leading slope vanishes and higher terms must be retained.
This classification describes which side of the stationary threshold contains the steady branch. It does not alone establish dynamical stability or rule out an earlier oscillatory instability. For example, at the characteristic polynomial factors asThe zero eigenvalue is simple unless the final coefficient vanishes; the other two eigenvalues need not both be stable for every positive parameter choice. The stationary branch formula and its direction criterion remain the requested algebraic conclusions.
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