Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2001 / ib / Paper 3 / 2G (Methods)

Use separation of variables in Laplace's equation: writing $\varphi =R(r)\Theta (\theta )$ givesSingle-valuedness requires $2\pi$-periodicity, so the nonconstant angular Fourier modes have integer $n\ge 1$ and are $\cos n\theta ,\sin n\theta$. Their radial solutions are $r^n,r^{-n}$. The zero angular mode has radial solutions $1,\log r$. These give the harmonic Fourier expansions in planar concentric domains used below.

For the annulus with $0<a<b$, constant boundary data suggest a radial harmonic function $A+B\log r$. Enforcing both boundary values givesThis has the required boundary values and satisfies $(r{\varphi }_r{)}_r=0$. It is unique: the difference of two continuous solutions is harmonic in the annulus and zero on both boundary circles, so the maximum principle for harmonic functions, applied to the difference and its negative, makes it zero.

Regularity at $r=0$ excludes every negative radial power and the logarithmic zero mode. Thus the general regular single-valued harmonic function on the disk has the formThe coefficients must give a series converging locally in the disk; if finiteness and continuity on its boundary are required, the boundary Fourier series must represent the prescribed finite continuous boundary values. Conversely every such locally convergent expansion is harmonic, and the Fourier coefficients on circles show that it includes every regular solution. There is no angular term linear in $\theta$, because it would be multivalued.

With the usual exterior-boundary interpretation that the harmonic function remains bounded as $r\to \infty$, positive radial powers and $\log r$ are excluded. HenceThe series must converge locally for $r>1$, with any required finite boundary values at $r=1$. These are the interior harmonic Fourier expansions in planar concentric domains after the inversion $r\mapsto 1/r$.

If “finite” means only finite at each finite point, without a condition at infinity, growing solutions such as $r\cos \theta$ and $\log r$ are allowed. Under that literal reading the general exterior expansion iswith local convergence. Boundedness at infinity is the condition selecting the decaying exterior expansion.