Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2015 iii Paper 70 1 b Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
The unknown Neumann boundary condition can be removed by the Fokas method. Evaluate the global relation for the half-line free Schrodinger equation at :Consequently . In the representation from part (a), the last term has integral , by the Cauchy integral theorem and Jordan lemma. It is analytic in the upper half-plane, and the exponential decays on the closing first-quadrant arc. Hence an expression involving only the given data isOne may replace by in the upper limit defining : the contribution of boundary times closes to zero in , since then decays there. Using makes causality transparent.
For an explicit proof of uniform convergence, it is useful to apply boundary lifting before inversion. Set , , , andThe compatibility condition gives . The Fourier sine transform of satisfies , with initial value . The integrating factor therefore gives the equivalent representationThis last integral is absolutely and uniformly convergent for , under concrete sufficient hypotheses , decay of the boundary terms, and . Indeed, two integrations by parts give for . Another integration by parts, this time in , givesThus the initial term is uniformly and the forcing term uniformly . For , use and the bounded time integral. An integrable majorant proves the claimed uniform convergence and permits evaluation at both boundaries.
At , Fourier sine inversion gives . At , the integral vanishes, giving , including the compatible corner. To verify the equation, note that and the transformed equation impliesAdding the lifted part gives . Under the stated smoothness, this holds classically in the interior; differentiated spectral integrals can first be Gaussian-regularized, or read in the sine-transform sense and then identified with the smooth solution. Uniform convergence of itself does not require claiming uniform convergence of every differentiated integral at the corner.