Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 iii Paper 309 1 b iii Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
The initial data and give . To first order in , replace and on the right-hand sides of the transverse equations by and . Twice integrating with the initial rest conditions givesFor , define and . ThenHenceThese permanent changes are forms of displacement memory and velocity memory.
There is a discrepancy in the question's final instruction. The longitudinal equation actually givesand thereforeThus does not vanish to first order for a general allowed profile. It vanishes after the pulse under the additional hypothesis used in part (iv), but it need not vanish while that pulse is passing. The proper-time normalization independently gives the same relation .