Past exam of the theoretical physics I course of the University of Cambridge 2018 4 c Solution 2026-10-18
With the PDF's inverse Fourier transform convention, the derivatives act asso its forced differential operator becomes . ThusFor the physical impulse response choose the retarded fundamental solution, vanishing before . For and , its poles lie in the lower half-plane. The retarded Fourier pole prescription specifies the zero mode and the zero-damping limit as well; a Green function without a temporal or boundary prescription would otherwise permit homogeneous additions.
This is the Kelvin-Voigt rod Green function. Multiplying the homogeneous real-space equation by givesA spatial Fourier mode therefore satisfies : positive really damps the motion. For sufficiently decaying fields its energy satisfiesThis checks the sign of the imaginary term in independently of the transform calculation.