Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2006/ii/paper-1/33a/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2006 ii Paper 1 33A Solution by
Codex 0 Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-14
For unit incident plane-wave amplitude, define the scattering amplitude by at large . Comparing outgoing radial flux with incident flux gives . Outside the potential, a real regular radial solution is proportional to , with asymptotic phase . This defines the scattering phase shift modulo .
The incident plane-wave expansion supplies coefficient for . To preserve its incoming part, replace by . Writing the asymptotic sine in exponentials shows that its incoming coefficient is unchanged and its outgoing coefficient is multiplied by . The outgoing difference from the plane wave therefore gives
Put , , and abbreviate , . Logarithmic-derivative matching gives . The supplied asymptotics determine the constant Wronskian: . ConsequentlySolving for givesAt zeros of denominators it is interpreted by limits; the logarithmic-derivative definition itself presumes its stated denominators nonzero.
Near a dominant resonant partial wave, . Neglecting the small other partial waves yieldsThis is a resonant peak of width in , with the partial-wave angular pattern and maximum allowed at resonance. Integrating gives . A small background may matter at angular zeros of the dominant wave.
New to topics? Read the docs here!