For the point interaction in a second-order differential equation on , use homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions. The unperturbed Green function iswith a positive unit derivative jump at . Whenever ,To derive this rank-one operator correction, move the delta coefficient to the right-hand side and apply the unperturbed inverse: . Setting determines and gives the formula. Its denominator vanishes exactly at Dirichlet resonance for a point interaction.
The kernel is symmetric. It is continuous at and , satisfies when , and satisfies away from the source. When , the single combined condition is . These are the transmission conditions for a delta coefficient, including a source at the interaction.
Dirichlet resonance for a point interaction 2026-10-31
The boundary value problem on with Dirichlet boundary conditions has a unique solution for every continuous forcing and prescribed endpoint values exactly when . The left-normalized homogeneous solution iswhere . Continuity at and the transmission conditions for a delta coefficient give this formula. The final boundary condition fixes the initial slope unless the displayed endpoint value is zero. This is a one-dimensional kernel obstruction, analogous to the Fredholm alternative.
At resonance the normalized null function isFor and , the compatibility condition isIndeed, integrate on both sides of . The internal terms cancel by the matching derivative jumps, leaving . This equals the right-hand side. The initial-slope construction also proves sufficiency: when compatible there is a one-parameter family ; otherwise no solution exists.
Past exam of the differential equations 2 course of the University of Oxford 2017 1 b ii Solution 2026-10-31
Use a Green function satisfying with homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions , for . Since away from and , it is continuous and piecewise affine, with possible derivative jumps at those two locations.
For , the transmission conditions for a delta coefficient and the unit source condition areIf , there is a single junction, and the correct combined condition isFor example, a suitable piecewise form when iswhere the coefficients depend on . The two continuity conditions, and determine them. When , use the same affine form on the intervals cut at , with and instead. This gives all requested boundary and jump conditions without needing the coefficients.
An explicit compact kernel also makes the construction transparent. The left and right homogeneous solutions at areThey obey the interaction jump and have Wronskian on either side. ThereforeDifferentiating its two branches at the source gives a unit derivative jump whenever . At , and , so the combined condition is also satisfied. This is the Dirichlet Green function for a point interaction specialized to the present parameters.
The Green kernel itself has zero endpoint values. The prescribed nonzero endpoint values enter through the homogeneous lift:Indeed, and . The kernel accounts for the forcing; the lift accounts for the boundary data. Uniqueness follows from part (i), since .
The resonant homogeneous mode and the derivative jumps of the Green kernel
. Original calculations for an interaction at on . The left panel varies the coefficient with a fixed initial slope; the resonant curve alone meets the zero right boundary. The right panel shows three source positions at coefficient one, including a source coinciding with the interaction. Details. Past exam of the differential equations 2 course of the University of Oxford 2017 1 b i Solution 2026-10-31
Interpret the Dirac delta coefficient as a point interaction in a second-order differential equation. The solution is continuous at and is twice differentiable on either side, where . Its transmission conditions for a delta coefficient areIndeed, the distributional second derivative across a jump contributes , which must cancel the delta coefficient because has no point source.
Put and . Integrating the ordinary equation and inserting the required derivative jump giveswhere . This formula is continuous, has the stated jump, satisfies the equation, and parametrizes every solution with the left endpoint value. Imposing the right endpoint value gives the scalar equationConsequently a unique , and hence a unique solution for every , exists precisely whenAt the exceptional value, the nonzero homogeneous solution with zero endpoint values isIt has derivative jump . Thus uniqueness fails. More precisely, there are infinitely many solutions ifand none otherwise. This follows either from the scalar equation or by integration by parts against . It is the compatibility obstruction at Dirichlet resonance for a point interaction.
A point interaction concentrates a coefficient of a linear differential equation at a single interior point. On an interval , with , consider . The domain consists of continuous functions that are twice differentiable away from , with the required one-sided derivatives. Multiplication of the Dirac delta by means the unambiguous point value . It does not mean an undefined product of a delta with an arbitrary discontinuous function.
The equation is interpreted using distributional derivatives. Smooth forcing gives an ordinary equation on each side, with transmission conditions for a delta coefficient at the interaction. A delta potential in the one-dimensional Schrödinger equation is a physical example after choosing the corresponding sign and constants.
