A4.21

Mathematical Methods | Part II, 2003

Let y(x,λ)y(x, \lambda) denote the solution for 0x<0 \leqslant x<\infty of

d2ydx2(x+λ2)y=0\frac{d^{2} y}{d x^{2}}-\left(x+\lambda^{2}\right) y=0

subject to the conditions that y(0,λ)=ay(0, \lambda)=a and y(x,λ)0y(x, \lambda) \rightarrow 0 as xx \rightarrow \infty, where a>0a>0; it may be assumed that y(x,λ)>0y(x, \lambda)>0 for x>0x>0. Write y(x,λ)y(x, \lambda) in the form

y(x,λ)=exp(z(x,λ))y(x, \lambda)=\exp (z(x, \lambda))

and consider an asymptotic expansion of the form

z(x,λ)n=0λ1nϕn(x),z(x, \lambda) \sim \sum_{n=0}^{\infty} \lambda^{1-n} \phi_{n}(x),

valid in the limit λ\lambda \rightarrow \infty with x=O(1)x=O(1). Find ϕ0(x),ϕ1(x),ϕ2(x)\phi_{0}(x), \phi_{1}(x), \phi_{2}(x) and ϕ3(x)\phi_{3}(x).

It is known that the solution y(x,λ)y(x, \lambda) is of the form

y(x,λ)=cY(X)y(x, \lambda)=c Y(X)

where

X=x+λ2X=x+\lambda^{2}

and the constant factor cc depends on λ\lambda. By letting Y(X)=exp(Z(X))Y(X)=\exp (Z(X)), show that the expression

Z(X)=23X3/214lnXZ(X)=-\frac{2}{3} X^{3 / 2}-\frac{1}{4} \ln X

satisfies the relevant differential equation with an error of O(1/X3/2)O\left(1 / X^{3 / 2}\right) as XX \rightarrow \infty. Comment on the relationship between your answers for z(x,λ)z(x, \lambda) and Z(X)Z(X).

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