Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2004 iii Paper 61 3 f Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
We derive the Robin spectral elimination while retaining the finite-time global relation. This distinguishes the actual ratio from the equivalent, time-independent boundary coefficient needed by the Riemann-Hilbert problem.
At the time Lax pair coefficient has off-diagonal entries and . LetDirect multiplication shows . Because the commutator term depends on and commutes with , uniqueness of the time Volterra integral equation gives . ThereforeThe exceptional parameter points of are treated by analytic continuation. These identities express linearizable Robin scattering for defocusing NLS.
For finite horizon , the exact upper-half-plane ratio isConsequently the often used answer is not a literal finite- identity. Its effective time-independent replacement, in the two bounded time sectors, isThe second branch follows from the Robin symmetry; its argument lies in the upper half-plane where the initial scattering functions are known. We now justify this replacement for the inverse problem without assuming that boundary values decay as .
Only is needed for the connection across the upper imaginary ray. The conjugate global relation at and the Robin symmetry giveFor upper-half-plane , the notation uses only values of in its legitimate upper-half-plane domain. PutThe effective boundary coefficient isThis Robin spectral determinant for defocusing NLS is explicitly computed from the initial data and .
For completeness, the finite-horizon defect can be removed algebraically, not by an unproved limit. If , then . Subtracting the same expression with givesIts jump multiplier isThe exponential decays in for and , since and . The coefficient is holomorphic away from the stated determinant zeros and is appropriately decaying at infinity. From the explicit matrices in part (c), , where . Hence replace the sector-two solution byThe reflected upper-triangular change is made in . These analytic changes remove the finite-time defect, leave unchanged, and leave the reconstruction from the second column in unchanged. At apparent poles, the old -dependent singularities cancel by the connection formula; genuine poles of the new determinant remain as explicit residue data. Equivalently, small circles can first isolate all zeros and the same algebra can be performed on the regularized contours. This is finite-horizon Robin spectral elimination.
Every modified jump is now explicitly known: keep from part (c) and replaceAll jumps are again , now involving only . If has a simple zero giving a genuine pole, its coefficient iswith the reflected second-column condition at . Common numerator/denominator zeros are checked for removability, and zeros on the cross require contour indentation or local circle jumps. Thus no unknown boundary norming data remain. One must not assume away such zeros for every real ; attractive Robin parameters can support localized modes.
It follows that the equivalent normalized Riemann-Hilbert problem is specified entirely by and , including its pole data. When two solutions exist, their quotient has no jump, its prescribed pole singularities cancel, and it tends to at infinity; Liouville theorem makes the quotient , proving uniqueness. Smooth corner evolution additionally requires and higher compatibility conditions at higher regularity. Without that compatibility, the same initial data are interpreted in the weak evolution sense, rather than as a smooth solution through the corner.