Past exam of the mathematics course of the year 2 of the natural sciences course of the University of Cambridge / 2010 / Paper 2 / 5 / iii / Solution

The convolution theorem turns the product $e^{-k^{2}t}\tilde{\theta }(k,0)$ into a spatial convolution. Its kernel isComplete the square:After rescaling the variable, the supplied translated Gaussian integral givesThis is the heat-kernel solution for diffusivity one. Its kernel integrates to one, preserving the total temperature integral, and approaches a Dirac delta function as $t\downarrow 0$. Its variance is $2t$; the factor is appropriate to ${\theta }_t={\theta }_{xx}$, rather than the alternative convention with diffusivity $1/2$.