Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2002 iii Paper 49 3 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
The basic quasi-geostrophic streamfunction gives , and constant quasi-geostrophic potential vorticity . DefineBecause the background has no potential-vorticity gradient, the linear potential-vorticity equation is simplyIts characteristics have constant , so the general solution is . In particular, is the requested arbitrary separated family; one product is not the most general initial field.
Linearizing the vertical velocity requires retaining advection of by . ThereforeThe impermeable boundary at imposesThis is conservation of boundary buoyancy, not merely a condition that vanish.
For zero interior potential vorticity, write . With , stratified quasi-geostrophic inversion givesThe decaying solution isNo time dependence has been assumed to obtain this vertical structure. Applying the boundary condition gives , henceThus the Eady edge wave travels eastward with horizontal phase velocity for .
The propagation mechanism can be made explicit using boundary parcels. Thermal wind gives the background buoyancy gradient . A small meridional parcel displacement produces boundary buoyancy perturbation . Meanwhile the decaying potential-vorticity inversion gives at the boundary. Consequently there, and the parcel equation becomesA displaced buoyancy contour therefore induces a velocity field that advances that displacement eastward. No interior potential-vorticity gradient is needed because the boundary buoyancy supplies the invertibility data.
Vortex stretching is what sets the induced flow's vertical reach. In the interior, the zero-potential vorticity condition requiresBoundary isopycnal displacement decreases with height as , so fluid columns are stretched or compressed over depth . Conservation of potential vorticity makes this stretching balance the relative vorticity. The resulting inversion factor gives the propagation speed: stronger density stratification reduces penetration and speed, while larger increases them. Zero interior potential vorticity therefore does not imply zero interior flow.
For imposed boundary vertical velocity, retain the same decaying structure and writeThe boundary relation becomes the forced Eady edge wave equationThe integrating factor gives, for ,The arbitrary homogeneous coefficient sets the initial disturbance. With , this is .
At resonance, , integration instead yieldsAn initially undisturbed fluid has . The imposed pumping reinforces the same boundary normal mode every cycle, with no dissipative loss, so the linear amplitude grows secularly. The divergence describes resonance of the undamped linear model; sufficiently large wave amplitude invalidates the assumed small-disturbance approximation.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2004 iii Paper 75 5 c Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
Let be the complex vertical velocity amplitude in . It satisfies , with and . Away from resonance, solve these two boundary conditions:The resulting field is a standing vertical superposition of equal-amplitude upward and downward internal gravity waves. Write . The rigid lid gives , and the bed givesThe upward vertical-velocity amplitude is . For real positive , its phase relative to the bed-height coefficient is if and if , modulo . Relative to the imposed bed-velocity coefficient , the phase is instead in the positive-sine case, with an additional when the sine changes sign. The complex coefficient gives the answer without convention ambiguity. The upward displacement coefficient, if desired, is , since for the stationary wave.
A reflecting lid reverses the vertical energy direction while retaining horizontal wavenumber and laboratory frequency. In the terrain frame the incident and reflected energy rays therefore travel downstream while zigzagging between the boundaries. The velocity field has nodes at the lid and a vertically standing pattern; the sketch marks this ray geometry, rather than falsely drawing the reflected ray as a specular optical ray.
The intrinsic group velocity makes an angle with vertical satisfying . Consequently the denominator vanishes whenThese are the rigid-lid resonance of stationary topographic internal waves. At such a nonzero vertical mode the homogeneous rigid-lid eigenfunction is also zero at the bed, so it cannot satisfy the nonzero prescribed bed velocity; a bounded stationary inviscid forced solution does not exist. Time-dependent forcing produces secular modal growth until dissipation or nonlinearity intervenes. The formal , limit is not this resonance: is finite. Propagating resonance also requires ; an evanescent field has no real standing-wave resonances of this kind.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2006 ia Paper 2 7B Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-14
The Wronskian satisfies Abel identity. Differentiating and substituting the homogeneous equations givesso . The two homogeneous solutions are therefore independent.
Define the variation of parameters kernelFor fixed , it satisfies the homogeneous differential equation in . Direct evaluation gives and . For , differentiation under the integral therefore yieldsCombining these identities proves ; both initial values vanish. Continuity of the coefficients gives uniqueness of this initial value problem, establishing the proposed formula rather than merely recognizing it as a standard method.
For the oscillator, , and , so the kernel is . HenceUsing and givesThe factor reflects resonance with the homogeneous oscillator frequency.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2006 ii Paper 1 33A Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-14
For unit incident plane-wave amplitude, define the scattering amplitude by at large . Comparing outgoing radial flux with incident flux gives . Outside the potential, a real regular radial solution is proportional to , with asymptotic phase . This defines the scattering phase shift modulo .
The incident plane-wave expansion supplies coefficient for . To preserve its incoming part, replace by . Writing the asymptotic sine in exponentials shows that its incoming coefficient is unchanged and its outgoing coefficient is multiplied by . The outgoing difference from the plane wave therefore gives
Put , , and abbreviate , . Logarithmic-derivative matching gives . The supplied asymptotics determine the constant Wronskian: . ConsequentlySolving for givesAt zeros of denominators it is interpreted by limits; the logarithmic-derivative definition itself presumes its stated denominators nonzero.
Near a dominant resonant partial wave, . Neglecting the small other partial waves yieldsThis is a resonant peak of width in , with the partial-wave angular pattern and maximum allowed at resonance. Integrating gives . A small background may matter at angular zeros of the dominant wave.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2008 iii Paper 81 4 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
The geostrophic material derivative isIt advects horizontally with the geostrophic flow. The exact material derivative additionally includes horizontal ageostrophic flow and vertical advection . The leading balances are geostrophic balance and the hydrostatic approximation:The conventional quasi-geostrophic streamfunction is , after fixing the horizontally uniform reference pressure consistently with the basic buoyancy profile. ThereforeHere and below pressure is divided by reference density, and is the anomaly about the prescribed background buoyancy.
For the zonal average assume periodicity or vanishing boundary terms, so that averages of derivatives vanish and averaging commutes with derivatives. Put . Since , the disturbance quasi-geostrophic potential vorticity is . The zonal part of vanishes as . For the other parts, integration by parts givesAs , , and , the Eliassen–Palm flux isWe have therefore proved the exact Taylor identity for quasi-geostrophic flux,without imposing small amplitude. This identity is algebraic within the quasi-geostrophic approximation; it does not assert validity of that approximation for arbitrary physical flows.
Now linearize about a steady zonal basic flow , with and no mean meridional velocity. The linear quasi-geostrophic potential-vorticity equation is . Multiply by and average. The advection term is a zonal derivative and vanishes, givingThis is quasi-geostrophic wave-activity conservation law. The basic-state denominator is time-independent at the retained order; its change caused by the waves is higher order. The wave activity is signed if , and the formula cannot be used where that gradient vanishes. The original PDF includes the zonal average over the squared disturbance in this definition.
For the resonant solution it is helpful to avoid squaring an imaginary coefficient as though it were real. Writewhere is real. Assume , , and . Define and . The complex coefficient of the physical streamfunction disturbance isThe original PDF contains : the converted TeX's missing would incorrectly remove the resonance and fails the differential equations.
For the vertical potential-vorticity inversion operator, and . ConsequentlySubstitution in the linear potential-vorticity equation givessince . Thus this is a genuine resonant topographic quasi-geostrophic wave, with linear amplitude growth rather than an assumed stationary wave.
At the flat upper boundary , so . At the lower boundary, linearization of the impermeability condition gives , where is the bottom corrugation. Here is time-independent, so the specified vertical velocity givesusing . Both boundary conditions are verified. The linear solution is valid while its growing displacement and velocity remain small; it is not a large-time nonlinear solution.
To evaluate all fluxes, use . The coefficients of are respectively , , and . HenceThe products of the terms alone and the terms alone are imaginary in the vertical flux and contribute nothing. Only the cross terms remain. Sincewe obtainDifferentiating gives . As ,For an independent evaluation of the right side of the Taylor identity for quasi-geostrophic flux, write . Multiplication of by gives real part , because the remaining real cross terms cancel. Thereforewhich verifies the flux identity pointwise in .
The basic potential-vorticity gradient is , so the wave activity and its derivative areHere follows from . Thus . The growth term involves ; the distinction matters because the printed complex coefficient is imaginary. These formulas evaluate both flux components, their divergence, the buoyancy and PV covariances, and wave activity. In particular and , so for the growing activity is supplied by the positive flux from the lower boundary.
Finally put and write the height-independent mean velocity change as . Since and can be chosen independent of height, the mean potential vorticity becomesTo be uniform in this requires for some constant . Integrating and applying both endpoint conditions gives , , and hence . ThereforeThe constant is the initial channel-mean potential vorticity, as also follows from . This is the momentum loss from uniform potential-vorticity mixing. Averaging the velocity change across the channel gives the momentum change per unit mass,For positive the mean current is reduced everywhere in the interior. The imposed bottom can exchange momentum with the fluid, so this change is consistent with the complete conservation of momentum budget.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2008 ii Paper 1 37B Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-14
The linear acoustic momentum and continuity equations are and . For a right-moving plane wave depending on , integration gives , with zero perturbation constants. For a left-moving wave the sign is reversed. The factor is the acoustic impedance. Proportionality applies to a traveling wave; a superposition of opposite directions generally has no single such constant.
Use time dependence and set . In the outer regions write pressures and , taking for convenience. The corresponding velocities are and . Pressure and normal velocity are continuous at both layer boundaries. Within the cooled layer a decomposition into right and left waves gives, with ,This matrix follows by writing and . Applying its inverse and using eliminates , givingConsequentlyFor , transmission is weak except near , where . The cooled layer acts as a resonant filter: an integer number of half-wavelengths fits within it at each resonance. The half-power width in is asymptotically on either side. Since the two outer impedances agree, the transmitted power fraction is .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2009 ib Paper 4 18D ii Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-14
The applied pressure changes the dynamic condition to . For its specified spatial mode, the two amplitude equations becomeWhen , the corresponding particular oscillation isFree oscillations with amplitudes may be added. If the mode starts from rest at , its total amplitude instead isNear resonance, the response grows too large for the linearization. At exact resonance the rest-start limit is , with secular growth. Dissipation or nonlinear effects would be required to limit it.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2010 iii Paper 61 2 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
Use and the exterior mean-motion resonance condition . Then the resonant semi-major axis is , neglecting the small planet-to-star mass correction. For the geometric construction, take , , , and start the particle at pericentre. Solve Kepler's equation with . Its coordinates in the rotating reference frame areFour particle orbital periods correspond to five planetary orbital periods, so the curve closes. At a pericentre, the mean longitude and the true longitude both equal , and the resonant argument becomes . Thus the four pericentre directions are modulo . The figure chooses and marks the corresponding angle to the planet; other phases rotate this pattern. Its second panel shows an instantaneous conjunction at apocentre, where the angle from pericentre to the common longitude is directly : here both true and mean anomaly equal . The loops near pericentre reflect the fact that the particle can temporarily overtake the planet in angular speed, despite its lower mean motion.
For the evolution equations, must be the mean longitude. The PDF calls it true longitude, but differentiating the literal true longitude gives the rapidly varying , not . To first order , so the true longitude version of has an extra orbital ripple. The stated Lagrange planetary equations and slow complex eccentricity equation are interpreted consistently as orbit-averaged equations in mean longitude. The pericentre geometry of an exterior resonance above is unchanged by this distinction.
Let be perturbing forces, and let be the particle's mass. The angular momentum about the star satisfiesThe central gravitational force and the radial perturbation have zero torque. If the displayed denotes acceleration instead, the identical formula applies to specific angular momentum.
For a weak kick, the specific orbital energy changes by . A planet leading the particle pulls it forwards, while a trailing planet pulls it backwards. For a nearly circular exterior Kepler orbit, a forward tangential kick raises angular momentum and semi-major axis, lowers mean motion, and makes the next conjunction occur sooner in the synodic cycle. Its longitude retreats relative to the unperturbed conjunction sequence. A backward kick produces the opposite shift. At exact alignment the leading force is radially inward: before pericentre, and an inward kick does positive work; after pericentre, and it does negative work. These likewise raise or lower semi-major axis. At an apsis, a purely radial infinitesimal kick has no first-order energy change but changes the eccentricity vector, so angular momentum alone does not determine every timing change.
The timing sign follows explicitly from the near-circular synodic period, . At the nominal resonance, successive conjunction longitudes agree modulo , since . A persistent small change givesThis is the accumulated mean timing shift; an actual impulsive encounter can also change the instantaneous orbital phase and longitude of periapsis.
Retaining the given first-order resonant orbital perturbations, eccentricity damping and leading Keplerian detuning,Here Kepler's third law gives . The approximation discards higher-order resonant contributions to and fast orbital terms. Differentiate the rotating complex eccentricity :Since ,The apparent singularity in at disappears in this complex eccentricity equation.
Take , and the conventional positive resonant coefficient . At a fixed point, the two balance conditions and giveSubstitution yieldsThus fixed points exist only if . With strict inequality, put and . Thenrespectively. The locations must also satisfy for the detuning expansion to apply. At equality the phases merge at and . If is assigned the opposite sign, shift the phase convention by ; the invariant stability distinction is the sign of .
For locally constant , the stable equilibrium is the branch in the leading slow model. At fixed , increasing on that branch increases the positive resonant torque, because . The resulting increase in semi-major axis lowers and hence lowers : the subsequent conjunctions shift back, restoring the phase. On the branch the feedback has the opposite sign and drives the phase farther away. Eccentricity damping removes the oscillatory disturbance on the restoring branch.
One can verify that this feedback stabilizes the coupled variables rather than just the phase. Treat as locally constant, and write . Then , and . At a fixed point . The characteristic polynomial of the linear stability analysis isFor , all coefficients are positive and the cubic Routh-Hurwitz stability criterion holds, sinceAll three eigenvalues have negative real parts. For the constant term is negative, so the polynomial has a positive real root and that branch is unstable. The merged case has a zero eigenvalue. The unrestricted functions printed in the question do not imply this unconditional stability classification. If their derivatives are retained, has, at equilibrium, the derivativeThe trace of the full three-variable linearization is . As a concrete counterexample, take and , choosing their values to satisfy the displayed fixed-point conditions on the negative-cosine branch. Its trace is , so at least one eigenvalue has positive real part. Both coefficients are smooth. Thus the restoring conjunction feedback identifies the stable branch of the usual locally constant model, but additional assumptions on coefficient variation are necessary to assert stability for every allowed function.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2017 iii Paper 314 4 b Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
The separation of the two bodies is , as is fixed by the supplied Kepler third law . The phrase “orbit of radius ” cannot denote the first body's distance from the center of mass in that formula.
Expand the companion's Newtonian potential of a point mass about the first body's center. The constant term produces no force; the linear term produces the uniform acceleration of the center and disappears in the translating frame. The leading differential acceleration therefore comes from the quadrupolar tidal forcingwhere points toward the companion. It is a degree-two solid spherical harmonic. For a circular nonrotating-frame orbit, its time-dependent components have and frequency , because the squared direction cosines repeat twice per orbit. There is also a static component. The real part of one complex harmonic represents the pair of time-dependent components; its normalization and orientation are absorbed into the order-one coefficient . This gives and . The expansion is the leading term for small; spin is being neglected.
For a forced potential flow with the same temporal frequency, the Euler momentum equation becomesUse . The surface gravity perturbation of a uniform-density sphere is unchanged, as is the vanishing Lagrangian pressure perturbation boundary condition. Integrating the equation and applying that condition givesSince , the real surface displacement isIndeed , so the normalization is consistent. This is a particular forced response away from the resonance; arbitrary free normal modes can be added.
Put and . The tidal resonance of a stellar oscillation condition is , henceThe resonance gives for finite nonnegative , with actual forcing requiring . At exact resonance the undamped linearization has no bounded response at the forcing frequency: the time-domain particular solution grows proportionally to times a sinusoid. Thus the frequency-response formula has a pole, rather than describing a finite resonant displacement. Away from that pole, linearization requires the displayed surface displacement to be small compared with ; the leading quadrupolar tidal forcing approximation separately requires small.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2018 ia Paper 2 5B Solution 2026-10-03
After multiplying by the inverse of the derivative matrix, the system isChoose eigenvectors and of eigenvalues and , and writeThenThe zero initial data giveThe and terms are resonant responses. When or , respectively, the corresponding resonant forcing vanishes and so does that secular factor.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2018 iii Paper 345 1 a Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
Let denote the fluid pressure perturbation divided by the reference mass density, and let be the buoyancy perturbation. The buoyancy frequency satisfies . Linearization requires small boundary slope , small displacements compared with the vertical scales of the disturbance and background, and advection small compared with the oscillatory acceleration. For a propagating internal gravity wave this includes ; boundary slope alone is insufficient when . The Boussinesq approximation also requires small relative mass density differences over the region of interest. These conditions must hold for the resulting disturbance, including any amplification by resonance.
The inviscid Linearized Boussinesq equations and linear kinematic boundary condition areWrite the velocity field as . Incompressibility and horizontal momentum balance giveThe vertical momentum balance therefore yieldsFor a real vertical wavenumber , this gives the dispersion relationWhen , define . The radiation condition selects , because energy must leave the boundary upward. The boundary-forced internal gravity wave isIts wavevector is , its phase velocity is , and its group velocity isThus the phase velocity points down and right, while the group velocity points up and right. They are perpendicular. Internal-wave polarization makes the particle motion an oscillation along the group velocity direction, with zero first-order mean transport. The constant-phase lines of an internal gravity wave are also parallel to the group velocity. Their inclination above the horizontal satisfies .
When , set . Boundedness at infinity selects the evanescent waveThe horizontal and vertical velocity components are in quadrature: fluid particles describe small ellipses, and the response decays over . There is no upward time-averaged energy flux, because and are in quadrature. A real vertical group velocity is not defined for this evanescent wave. The pattern travels horizontally with phase velocity .
For the response is the evanescent wave with ; the ratios should not be used. At the cutoff , the bounded harmonic solution has , : it neither decays nor has nonzero upward group velocity. It is the limiting cutoff response, rather than a localized radiating disturbance. A uniform nonzero buoyancy frequency in an infinitely deep Boussinesq approximation is itself a local idealization of the background mass density.
The arrows distinguish the phase velocity, group velocity, and oscillatory particle motion of the internal gravity wave. The right panel shows the decay envelope and particle ellipses of the evanescent wave.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 ib Paper 4 16C b vi Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
The denominators in part (v) vanish when the forcing frequency equals the natural surface gravity wave frequencyAt this value, the initially quiescent resonant solution isBoth contain a term growing linearly in time. This is resonance: the pressure forcing repeatedly supplies energy in phase with the box's standing-wave mode. In the ideal inviscid linear model there is no damping or nonlinear saturation, so its amplitude is unbounded. This is the resonance of a pressure-forced rectangular surface-gravity mode.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2025 ia Paper 2 7C d Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
The eigenvalues of the recurrence matrix have modulus , so transients decay and the coefficients approach the fixed pointThusFor and , this isEven multiples deliver impulses in phase and produce resonance; odd multiples alternate the phase and largely cancel.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the year 1 of the natural sciences course of the University of Cambridge 2008 Paper 2 13 iii Solution Created 2026-10-18 Updated 2026-10-20
The repeated characteristic root is , matching the exponential forcing. Put ; then , so . The zero initial conditions give , henceThe extra quadratic factor is the resonance associated with the double root.
Model the AFM cantilever as a driven damped harmonic oscillator. If the drive stays at the free-space resonance and the spring constant and effective mass are unchanged, its steady amplitude isHere is intrinsic damping and the added dissipative interaction with the surface. At large average separation there is no tapping, so and . As the lower turning point reaches the surface, intermittent contacts dissipate energy and the amplitude decreases. With further approach the oscillation becomes strongly constrained, eventually approaching a continuously contacting, nearly quenched response. The damping-only sketch has a free-amplitude plateau followed by a descending amplitude on approach. The rounded transition in the sketch is illustrative; adhesion and actual contact mechanics determine its shape. The deliberately omitted force-gradient-induced resonance shift can make real approach curves more complicated.
A material exhibiting piezoelectricity converts cyclic mechanical stress into electric charge; its mechanical and electrical boundary conditions jointly set the extractable energy. piezoelectric ceramics such as lead zirconate titanate are stiff and often have large charge coefficients and electromechanical coupling, but are brittle and can be difficult to match to large-strain flexible motion. piezoelectric polymers such as polyvinylidene fluoride are compliant, light and compatible with flexible large-area films. Their lower charge coefficient is partly offset in voltage-sensitive applications by lower permittivity: the voltage coefficient is .
Ceramics often favor strong charge generation and coupling; polymers favor flexibility and strain accommodation. The larger open-circuit voltage of a low-capacitance film does not itself imply more useful power. For a simple fixed-stress comparison the electrical energy scale involves , while coupling also depends on mechanical compliance. At fixed imposed strain, different stiffnesses change the available mechanical energy. resonance tuning, fatigue, mechanical mounting, rectifier losses and load matching can reverse a simplistic material ranking; compare complete devices under the same actual vibration source.
Use two-dimensional NOESY, or ROESY where molecular tumbling makes NOESY less favorable, to look for through-space correlations between proton sites on the two ends that are brought together in the closed conformation. Assign resonances first and compare predicted ring contacts with an open reference or model.
The nuclear Overhauser effect involves NMR cross-relaxation through magnetic dipole–dipole coupling. Its strong approximate dependence makes it sensitive to short interproton distances. A NOESY cross-peak therefore reports spatial proximity, including between sites far apart along the covalent skeleton; it is not a NMR scalar coupling transmitted along that skeleton.
Run a dilution series: end-to-end contacts that persist at concentrations where intermolecular association is negligible support intramolecular ring closure. Hydrogen-bonded NH chemical shifts and diffusion measurements can support the assignment, but neither alone proves ring topology. A flexible open chain can transiently bring ends together, and intermolecular contacts can also give NOEs. Several geometry-consistent cross-peaks, concentration behavior and controlled mixing times make the case much stronger than one peak.
Three standard approaches are piezoelectric, electromagnetic and electrostatic energy harvesting.
- A piezoelectric microcantilever or nanowire develops electric polarization when strained. An inertial mass, bending substrate or vibration bends the element; electrodes and a rectifier collect charge. PZT, ZnO and PVDF illustrate different material choices. This approach needs no external bias for transduction and can give appreciable voltage in a compact element. Its capacitance gives high source impedance and relatively small electric current; brittle materials, fatigue, depolarization and a narrow mechanical resonance can limit performance.
- Electromagnetic harvesting uses relative motion of a magnet and coil to change magnetic flux, producing . A micromachined coil and movable magnet can implement it at the microscale. It can offer low source impedance and useful electric current, but the small flux and coil area make voltage and power increasingly difficult to maintain on miniaturization; coil resistance and fabrication of magnets also matter. A practical microscale device does not imply efficient scaling all the way to individual nanowires.
- Electrostatic harvesting uses a variable capacitor, for example MEMS comb fingers or moving plates. Mechanical motion changes capacitance; an initial charge, electrical bias or electret allows this change to do electrical work. Small gaps favor strong coupling and compatibility with microfabrication. Limitations include the need for charge or bias, parasitic capacitance, leakage, pull-in, stiction and dielectric breakdown.
In all three cases the output is constrained by the available mechanical input and damping. Nanoscale dimensions alone do not supply an energy advantage.
In tapping-mode atomic force microscopy, the cantilever is driven near a resonance and its oscillation amplitude is monitored. Tip-surface interaction changes that amplitude. A controller compares it with a chosen setpoint and moves the vertical piezoelectric actuator to reduce the error. The recorded actuator displacement supplies the topography channel. A smaller amplitude during approach commonly triggers withdrawal and an increased amplitude during separation triggers approach, with the actual feedback sign set by the instrument's operating convention. Correct tracking requires enough response bandwidth without destabilizing the loop.
A spectral line has finite width when the emitted or absorbed field loses coherence, or when different emitters have different transition frequencies. It is useful to distinguish homogeneous spectral broadening of each emitter from inhomogeneous spectral broadening across the ensemble.
Finite lifetime and dephasing. For an upper-state population lifetime and a stable lower state, the radiating amplitude decays as . Its Fourier spectrum is Lorentzian, with full width at half maximumMore generally, an optical coherence time gives . Both level lifetimes and pure dephasing can contribute to . Distinguishing population lifetime from amplitude coherence time prevents the usual factor-of-two error.
Thermal motion. To first order in velocity, . A Maxwell-Boltzmann velocity distribution therefore produces a Gaussian profile, withThis is inhomogeneous doppler broadening: different velocity classes have different resonance frequencies. A distribution of bulk velocities can add further broadening, while a common bulk velocity shifts the line.
Interactions with the surroundings. Collisions can interrupt the dipole wave phase and perturb the energy levels, producing pressure broadening and shifts. In the impact approximation, approximately exponential wave phase relaxation produces a Lorentzian contribution; its rate increases with perturber density times an appropriate velocity-averaged collision cross section. Slowly varying electric microfields can instead produce non-Lorentzian Stark profiles. Neutral perturbers, charged perturbers and resonance interactions need not produce the same line shape. These mechanisms and the Gaussian thermal limit are distinguished in NIST's atomic-spectroscopy compendium.[ref]
Atomic Spectroscopy - A Compendium of Basic Ideas, Notation, Data, and Formulas by William C. Martin and Wolfgang Wiese. section 20, Spectral Line Shapes, Widths, and Shifts: Doppler and pressure broadening
Finite observation time limits coherence; transit-time broadening also occurs for particles crossing a narrow optical beam. Strong resonant excitation causes power broadening: for an ideal lifetime-limited two-level transition, with population decay rate and saturation parameter . Unresolved fine structure, hyperfine structure, isotope components, or spatially varying Zeeman and Stark shifts may look like a single broadened feature even though several frequencies are present.
The observed spectrum is additionally convolved with the instrument response. A Gaussian Doppler contribution convolved with Lorentzian homogeneous broadening gives a Voigt profile; their full widths do not generally add in quadrature. An informative experiment varies temperature, perturber pressure and excitation intensity separately, calibrates the spectrometer response with a narrower reference, and checks optical thickness or self-absorption. Extrapolation to weak excitation and low pressure helps isolate the lifetime contribution, while a Doppler-free technique is needed if velocity spread still dominates.



