 Solution

Integral identity and representation. Define $L={\nabla }^2+k^2$ and take $n$ to be the outward unit normal. The product rule givesThe $k^2\varphi \psi$ terms cancel. Integrating and applying the divergence theorem proves the Helmholtz equation version of Green's second identity:

Choose the Dirichlet Green function with the sign conventionwhere $\delta$ is the three-dimensional Dirac delta. Substitute $\psi =G$, use $L\varphi =f$, and evaluate the Dirac delta integral. The boundary term containing $G$ vanishes and $\varphi =g$ on $S$, leavingHenceThe choice of sign in the Green function equation matters: it fixes both the source normalization and these signs. For a bounded region this construction presumes that the chosen $k^2$ is not a Dirichlet eigenvalue of $-{\nabla }^2$; at such an eigenvalue a Green inverse for arbitrary data does not exist.

Infinite space. Put $r=|x-x^{\prime }|$. Away from the source, spherical symmetry reduces the Helmholtz equation toFor $k\ne 0$ its general radial solution isIntegrate $LG=\delta$ over a ball of radius $\epsilon$ about the source. The divergence theorem yieldsSince $G=A/r+Bk+O(r)$, the volume term is $O({\epsilon }^2)$ and the flux tends to $-4\pi A$. Therefore $A=-1/(4\pi )$, while $B$ remains free:The $B$ term extends regularly through the source and solves the homogeneous Helmholtz equation, so it cannot change the unit Dirac delta normalization. A condition at infinity is needed to select it. For example, with time dependence $e^{-i\omega t}$, the outgoing Green function for the three-dimensional Helmholtz equation is $-e^{ikr}/(4\pi r)$, corresponding to $B=-i/(4\pi )$.

Zero wavenumber. For fixed finite $B$, $\sin (kr)/r\to 0$ as $k\to 0$, andThis is the decaying Green function of the Laplacian. Directly at $k=0$, the general radial solution is $A/r+C$; source normalization fixes $A=-1/(4\pi )$, and decay at infinity removes $C$. If the free parameter depends on $k$ as $B(k)\sim C/k$, the limit instead includes that arbitrary homogeneous constant. Thus the usual Laplace limit holds for a fixed parameter, or after a suitable condition at infinity has been selected.