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Write ${\dot{x}}^{\mu }=d{x}^{\mu }/ds$ and $L=\sqrt{-g_{\mu \nu }{\dot{x}}^{\mu }{\dot{x}}^{\nu }}$. Varying $T=\int Lds$ with fixed endpoints and then choosing proper time as parameter, for which $L=1$, gives the Euler-Lagrange equationExpanding the derivative, raising the free index with the inverse metric, and using the symmetry of ${\dot{x}}^{\alpha }{\dot{x}}^{\beta }$ gives the geodesic equationThese are the Christoffel symbols of the Levi-Civita connection.

With $u=t-z$, the quadratic geodesic Lagrangian isIts transverse Euler-Lagrange equations areThe longitudinal equations areafter using the difference of those same equations. In particular,This conserved quantity also follows from the Killing vector field ${\partial }_t+{\partial }_z$ and the geodesic conserved quantity from a Killing vector.

Treat $\varphi$ and $\bar{\varphi }$ as independent fields. The Lagrangian density isThe Euler-Lagrange equation for $\bar{\varphi }$ isorThe equation from variation of $\varphi$ is its complex conjugate.

Put $q=\delta \theta$, $p=\delta \varphi$, so $\theta =\pi /2-q$ and $\varphi =p$. The quadratic Lagrangian is obtained by takingThe two real fluctuations form a coordinate and its canonical momentum rather than two independent modes. Their Euler-Lagrange equations combine to giveand similarly for $p$. The ferromagnetic magnon therefore has the quadratic dispersion relation

The area element is $\sqrt{\det I^S}dxdy=Wdxdy$, soFor the Lagrangian $L(p,q)=\sqrt{1+p^2+q^2}$, stationarity under every compactly supported variation gives the Euler-Lagrange equationMultiplication by $W^3$ expands this intorecovering part (d).

For the p-energythe first variation in the direction $\psi \in C_c^{\infty }(\Omega )$ isAn integration by parts therefore gives the Euler-Lagrange equationwhich is the p-Laplacian equation. In the notation of the question one takes $a^{ij}(x,z,\eta )=|\eta {|}^{p-2}{\delta }^{ij}$.

For $\eta \ne 0$, the principal coefficient matrix isIts eigenvalue in directions orthogonal to $\eta$ is $|\eta {|}^{p-2}$, while its eigenvalue parallel to $\eta$ is $(p-1)|\eta {|}^{p-2}$. The coefficients are $C^{1,\alpha }$ away from $\eta =0$, and the condition number there is at most $p-1$. On every region where $0<m\le |Du|\le M$, this gives uniform ellipticity with constants depending on $m$, $M$, and $p$. At $Du=0$ all principal eigenvalues vanish, so the operator is degenerate there and is not strictly elliptic on a domain containing a critical point.

The Euler-Lagrange equation isTime-translation invariance gives the conserved energyIndeed, after integrating the spatial term by parts and imposing finite-energy boundary conditions,

Take $z$ upward along the straight rod. The part above height $z$ has weight $\lambda g(L-z)$, so, with tensile force positive, the internal tension is compressive:For a small transverse displacement $X(z)$, the quadratic bending and gravitational energies areThe Euler-Lagrange equation for this functional iswhich is exactly

Clamping at the bottom fixes displacement and slope:At the free upper end, bending moment and transverse force vanish:Since $\sigma (L)=0$, the four boundary conditions are

Set $u=X^{\prime }$. Integrating the field equation once and using the free-end shear condition givesor, with $s=L-z$,Introduce the dimensionless similarity coordinateand write $u={\eta }^{1/3}F(\eta )$. Direct substitution reduces the equation toThis is the Bessel differential equation of order $1/3$, so

The free-moment condition is $u^{\prime }(L)=0$. As $\eta \to 0$,The second term has nonzero limiting $z$ derivative, so the free-end condition forces $b=0$. The free-shear condition $u^{\prime \prime }(L)=0$ then follows from the differential equation. At the clamp, $u(0)=0$, givingLet $j_{-1/3,1}$ be the smallest positive zero of this Bessel function. The first self-buckling threshold isor equivalently

For $y\in \partial \Omega$, let $b_y^{-}\le g\le b_y^{+}$ be the affine barriers from the bounded slope condition. Their constant gradients satisfy the Euler-Lagrange equation, so they minimize the autonomous convex functional for their own boundary values. The comparison principle givesSince both barriers equal $u(y)$ at $y$ and are $K$-Lipschitz,for $x\in \Omega$ and $y\in \partial \Omega$. The supplied boundary-to-interior criterion now gives $\mathrm{Lip}(u)\le K$.

Part c supplies a bounded slope condition constant $K$. Choose $k>K$. Parts a and d give a constrained minimizer with $\mathrm{Lip}(u)\le K<k$, and part b makes it a minimizer over all of ${\mathrm{Lip}}_g(B_1)$.

For $F(\xi )=\sqrt{1+|\xi {|}^2}$, the Euler-Lagrange equation is the minimal surface equation for a graphThe Lipschitz bound confines $Du$ to a compact set on which $D^{2}F$ is uniformly positive definite, so the equation is uniformly elliptic. Interior regularity gives $C^{1,\alpha }$ first, and repeated Schauder estimates then give smoothness in the interior.

For an arbitrary smooth variation $u_t=u+t\phi$, differentiation under the integral givesSince $M$ is compact without boundary, integration by parts turns this intoThe fundamental lemma of the calculus of variations therefore gives the Euler-Lagrange equationor equivalently $-{\Delta }_{g}u=f$ for the Laplace-Beltrami operator.

First integral. If $F$ has no explicit $x$ dependence, the chain rule givesThe Euler-Lagrange equation makes this zero without requiring division by $y^{\prime }$. Hence the Beltrami identity is

Optical paths. By Fermat principle, a ray makes the optical path length stationary. Within the strip $0<y\le 1$, its functional for a graph $y(x)$ isThe Beltrami identity givesFor a nonvertical segment $k>0$, write $R=1/k$. Then $(y^{\prime }{)}^2=(R^2-y^2)/y^2$, soThus the optical rays in a reciprocal-height refractive index satisfyrestricted to the part in the strip. They are arcs of circles centered on $y=0$. Vertical lines are the additional solutions, obtained as a limiting case or directly from the constant horizontal optical momentum. The same curves are geodesics of the Poincaré half-plane model, whose length element is $ds/y$.

Horizontal displacement. Let the ray enter at $(x_0,1)$, travelling to the right and downward at angle $0<\theta <\pi /2$ to the vertical. The refractive index is continuous at $y=1$, so there is no instantaneous angular jump at entry. The tangent has $(dx/ds,dy/ds)=(\sin \theta ,-\cos \theta )$; hence $y^{\prime }(x_0)=-\cot \theta$. The first integral gives $k=\sin \theta$, or $R=\csc \theta$. The circle derivative $y^{\prime }=-(x-c)/y$ then fixes $c=x_0-\cot \theta$.

As $y\downarrow 0$, the rightward ray approaches $x=c+R$. The total limiting horizontal distance is thereforeFor vertical incidence, $D=0$ by continuity. For a leftward ray the displacement has the opposite sign, with the same magnitude. Since $\tan (\theta /2)$ increases on $[0,\pi /2]$,If entry is required to have a strictly downward component, this is a supremum rather than an attained maximum. A horizontal tangent at entry gives the limiting unit-radius arc, which immediately bends downward in the medium.

The lower boundary is a limit, rather than a point reached in finite optical travel time. On a nonvertical circular ray, $ds/dy=R/\sqrt{R^2-y^2}\to 1$ as $y\downarrow 0$. Thus the optical path length contains a divergent integral proportional to $\int dy/y$. The horizontal distance stays finite even though propagation toward $y=0$ takes infinite time.

Variational formulation. Take real $p,q,w$ with $p,w>0$ in the interval, and impose homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions, or other suitable conditions that cancel the boundary terms. The functionalhas Euler-Lagrange equationwhich is equivalent to $-(p{y}^{\prime }{)}^{\prime }+qy-\lambda wy=0$. The same construction is constrained stationarity of the energy $\int [p(y^{\prime }{)}^2+q{y}^2]$ subject to $\int w{y}^2=1$, with $\lambda$ a Lagrange multiplier. For fixed zero endpoint values, the variation vanishes at both ends; homogeneous zero-flux conditions also cancel the boundary term $[2p{y}^{\prime }\delta y{]}_a^b$.

Multiplying the differential equation by $y$ and using integration by parts gives the Rayleigh quotientFor a nonzero admissible trial function, $R[y]\ge {\lambda }_0$ by the Rayleigh-Ritz variational principle. The Rayleigh-Ritz method chooses trial functions satisfying the endpoint conditions, often with adjustable coefficients, and minimizes this quotient over that trial family. Expanding $y=\sum c_n{y}_n$ in a normalized eigenbasis shows why the lower bound holds: $R[y]=\sum {\lambda }_n{c}_n^2/\sum c_n^2$, a weighted average of eigenvalues no smaller than the least one.

Radial quadratic trial. The radial problem becomeswhere the printed endpoint notation $y$ refers to $\psi$. Thus $p=w=r^2$ and $q=0$. At the origin the vanishing $r^2$ and regularity of $\psi$ make the boundary term vanish; the weight must be retained in both numerator and denominator.

For a quadratic $\psi =A+Br+C{r}^2$, the derivative condition sets $B=0$ and the outer condition gives $C=-A$. Overall amplitude cancels in the Rayleigh quotient, so take $\tilde{\psi }=1-r^2$. ThenwhileConsequently

Why the estimate is higher. For a regular radial function put $u=r\psi$. Then $u(0)=u(1)=0$, and direct differentiation transforms the equation to $u^{\prime \prime }+\lambda u=0$. Its first mode is $u=\sin (\pi r)$, corresponding to $\psi =\sin (\pi r)/r$ with its continuous value at the origin. Thus ${\lambda }_0={\pi }^2$. The quadratic trial is not proportional to that Spherical Bessel function, so it has nonzero components in higher modes. Its Rayleigh quotient is therefore strictly larger than ${\pi }^2$, in agreement with $21/2>{\pi }^2$.

General definitions. The Euler-Lagrange equation gives $m_i{\ddot{q}}_i+{\sum }_j{V}_{ij}{q}_j=0$. Write $M=\mathrm{diag}(m_i)$ and $K=(V_{ij})$. A normal mode has fixed displacement pattern $v$ and common time factor, $q(t)=vQ(t)$; its normal frequency satisfiesHere $\omega$ is angular frequency. A normal coordinate is the coefficient of one pattern in a complete modal expansion, so these coordinates decouple the equations. Since $M$ is positive definite, the change $z=M^{1/2}q$ turns the mode equation into the ordinary symmetric eigenvalue problem for $M^{-1/2}K{M}^{-1/2}$.

Three-mass equations. Let $x_1,x_2,x_3$ be horizontal displacements from the unstretched equilibrium, ordered left to right. The kinetic energy and potential energy areDifferentiating the potential energy givesThus $M=m\mathrm{diag}(1,2,3)$ and

Frequencies and patterns. Put $\lambda =m{\omega }^2/k$. Expansion of the generalized eigenvalue problem for small oscillations givesSolving at each root givesThe zero normal mode is uniform translation. In the lower nonzero mode, the central mass stays fixed, the two end masses move oppositely, and their unequal displacements balance both the end-mass momenta and the forces on the central mass. In the upper mode the end masses move together and the centre oppositely. Both vibrating modes leave the centre of mass fixed.

Orthogonality. Because $K$ is symmetric, two mode equations implyDistinct eigenvalues therefore give the mass-matrix orthogonality of normal modes:The Euclidean dot product need not vanish for unequal masses; for example $v_0^T{v}_1=-2$, while $v_0^{T}M{v}_1=m(-3+3)=0$. The modal squared norms are $6m,12m,12m$.

Normal coordinates. Expand $x=Q_0{v}_0+Q_1{v}_1+Q_3{v}_3$. Project using the mass-weighted inner product and divide by each modal norm to obtainFor example, the inverse equations are $x_1=Q_0-3Q_1+Q_3$, $x_2=Q_0-2Q_3$, $x_3=Q_0+Q_1+Q_3$. They reduce the energies toand henceThe first coordinate is the centre of mass and has free linear motion. Multiplying $Q_0,Q_1,Q_3$ by $\sqrt{6m},\sqrt{12m},\sqrt{12m}$ respectively gives mass-normalized normal coordinates if desired.

Let $y$ be a stationary function and perturb it to $y_{\epsilon }=y+\epsilon \eta$, where $\eta$ is smooth and $\eta (a)=\eta (b)=0$. These perturbations preserve the prescribed endpoint values. Differentiate the functional at $\epsilon =0$:By integration by parts,The boundary term vanishes. The remaining integral must vanish for every such $\eta$, so the fundamental lemma of the calculus of variations gives the Euler-Lagrange equationIt is a necessary stationarity condition; deciding whether the stationary path is a minimum requires additional information.

Length functional. On the unit sphere, write the position vector in spherical coordinates asIts two coordinate tangent vectors satisfy $r_{\theta }\cdot r_{\varphi }=0$, $|r_{\theta }|=1$ and $|r_{\varphi }|=\sin \theta$. Consequently the induced Riemannian metric is $d{s}^2=d{\theta }^2+{\sin }^2\theta d{\varphi }^2$. On a segment for which $\theta$ increases and $\varphi =\varphi (\theta )$,Segments where $\theta$ is not monotone require another parameter or a subdivision. Endpoint turning points can be handled by a limit.

First integral. With $F=\sqrt{1+{\sin }^2\theta ({\varphi }^{\prime }{)}^2}$, there is no explicit $\varphi$ dependence. The Euler-Lagrange equation therefore says thatis constant. For $c\ne 0$, put $k=1/|c|$ and solve:The radicand must be nonnegative along the chosen segment. The printed expression with both limits fixed at ${\theta }_1,{\theta }_2$ describes a longitude difference between endpoints; a formula for $\varphi (\theta )$ needs the variable upper limit and the additive constant shown here. The case $c=0$ gives a meridian with constant longitude. The equator is also a stationary route, although it cannot be parameterized using changing $\theta$.

Integration and geometric meaning. Put $t=\cot \theta$, so $d\theta =-dt/(1+t^2)$ andFor a nonconstant segment $k>1$, and writing $K=\sqrt{k^2-1}$, the integral becomesRearranging, and absorbing phase and sign into two constants, givesMultiplying by $\sin \theta$ shows that the corresponding Cartesian coordinates satisfy $z=Ax+By$. Thus every such stationary route lies in a plane through the sphere's center: it is a great circle, the geodesic of the sphere. The meridians and equator are the limiting or separately parameterized cases of the same description.

Rome to Singapore. Use exactly the approximate coordinates supplied in the question: $(\theta ,\varphi )=(\pi /4,\pi /12)$ at departure and $(\pi /2,7\pi /12)$ at arrival. Inserting them into the preceding relation determinesIndeed the right side is one at Rome and zero at Singapore. This corresponds to $K=1$, $k=\sqrt{2}$. In latitude $\ell =\pi /2-\theta$, the route is $\ell =\arctan [\cos (\varphi -\pi /12)]$: it starts at $45^{\circ }$ north with an initially eastward heading and then curves southward to the equator. The first-integral expression in $\theta$ has an integrable endpoint singularity at departure, where $\theta$ has a turning point; the longitude parameter is regular there.

For an explicit regular arc-length parametrization, let $a=r(\pi /4,\pi /12)$ and $b=r(\pi /2,7\pi /12)$. Their dot product is $\sin (\pi /4)\cos (\pi /2)=0$. HenceBoth $|r(s)|$ and $|r^{\prime }(s)|$ equal one. The shorter great circle arc is the global shortest path: for any unit-speed curve from $a$, its central angle $\alpha =\arccos (a\cdot r)$ satisfies $|d\alpha /ds|\le 1$ by the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality, since the tangential projection of $a$ has length $\sin \alpha$. Integrating gives length at least the endpoint angle $\pi /2$, which this route attains. For a sphere of radius $R$, the corresponding shortest distance is $\pi R/2$.

Use the equilibrium coordinates specified in the paper; their distances from the origin are one and their mutual separation is $\sqrt{3}$. Let $u_i=(x_i,y_i)$ be the small displacements. Each initially unstretched spring has, to first order, extension equal to the relative displacement projected along its original bond. Choose the three oriented extensionsThe kinetic energy is exact in these displacement coordinates, while the potential energy needed for small oscillations is its quadratic part:The factor $\sqrt{3}$ in the equilibrium bond length cancels when forming the unit bond directions. Applying the Euler-Lagrange equation, or differentiating $V$ for the force on each mass, givesThe total force vanishes componentwise, as expected for three masses coupled only by internal spring forces.

Vary $r$ by $r+\epsilon \eta$ with $\eta (a)=\eta (b)=0$. The first variation of the functional isThe boundary term from integration by parts is zero. The fundamental lemma of the calculus of variations therefore gives $\boxed{F_{1,r}-d{F}_{1,r^{\prime }}/dz=0}$. For $I_2$, independently vary $r$ and $\theta$ with zero endpoint variations; the two Euler-Lagrange equations areFor the optical path, Fermat principle makes $\int \mu ds$ stationary. In cylindrical coordinates its integrand is $L=\mu (r,\theta )s$, with $s=\sqrt{1+r^{\prime 2}+r^2{\theta }^{\prime 2}}$. There is no explicit $z$ dependence. The Beltrami identity for several dependent variables givesThe conserved quantity is the axial component of the optical momentum of a ray. As $\mu >0$, squaring and inverting yieldsNow suppose $\mu =\mu (r)$ and seek a path of radius $R>0$. The angle is a cyclic coordinate, so $L_{{\theta }^{\prime }}=\mu R^2{\theta }^{\prime }/\sqrt{1+R^2{\theta }^{\prime 2}}$ is conserved. At fixed radius this is strictly increasing in ${\theta }^{\prime }$, forcing ${\theta }^{\prime }=\omega$ constant. The radial Euler-Lagrange equation reduces toConsequently the helical rays in a radially graded refractive index haveA real nonzero helix exists at such a radius when $0<-R{\mu }^{\prime }(R)/\mu (R)<1$, and its helical pitch is $2\pi /|\omega |$. If ${\mu }^{\prime }(R)=0$, the solution is instead a straight axial light ray. Thus radial dependence permits constant-radius rays for suitable profiles; an arbitrary radial profile need not support a nonzero real helix. This qualification is necessary, for example when the refractive index increases with radius.

If the integrand has no explicit $x$ dependence, differentiate $f-y^{\prime }{f}_{y^{\prime }}$ along a stationary path:The last equality uses $f_x=0$ and the Euler-Lagrange equation. This proves the Beltrami identity, the first integral $\boxed{f-y^{\prime }{f}_{y^{\prime }}=C}$.