Past exam of the mathematics course of the year 2 of the natural sciences course of the University of Cambridge / 2020 / Paper 1 / 8 / b / iii

Reality requires $\tilde{\sigma }(\omega ,r)=\tilde{\sigma }(-\omega ,r{)}^{\ast }$. The way it constrains the amplitudes depends on whether the spatial wave number is real or imaginary.

For $|\omega |>\mu$, $k$ is real and even. Complex conjugation interchanges the two exponentials, so comparing independent spatial factors givesThe companion equation $B(\omega )=A(-\omega {)}^{\ast }$ is the same constraint with frequency reversed and conjugated. Neither oscillatory spatial branch grows as $r\to \infty$.

For $|\omega |<\mu$, put $k=i\kappa$ with $\kappa >0$. ThenBoundedness excludes the growing exponential, and reality then pairs the remaining amplitudes:These are the two independent low-frequency requirements. At threshold boundedness eliminates the separate linear-in-$r$ solution discussed in (ii). The constraints are understood for a Fourier transform representation in which spatial mode amplitudes are well defined; sufficient amplitude integrability also ensures the spectral integral itself is bounded.