Solutions - Section 26

(1) Show that u is harmonic and find a harmonic conjugate.

(1a)

u = 2x(1 − y)
ux = 2(1 − y)
uxx = 0
uy = −2x
uyy = 0
uxx + uyy = 0
vx = −uy
vx = 2x
Z
v = 2x dx

= x2 + C(y)
v y = ux
= 2 − 2y
Z
v = 2 − 2y dy

= 2y − y 2 + D(x)
x2 + C(y) = 2y − y 2 + D(x)
C(y) = 2y − y 2 + C
D(x) = x2 + C
v(x, y) = x2 + 2y − y 2 + C

(1b)

u 2x − x3 + 3xy 2
=
ux 2 − 3x2 + 3y 2
=
uxx =
−6x
uy =
6xy
uyy =
6x
uxx + uyy 0=
vx =
−uy
vx =
−6xy
Z
v = −6xy dx

= −3x2 y + C(y)
vy = ux

1
 = 2 − 3x2 + 3y 2
Z
v = 2 − 3x2 + 3y 2 dy

= 2y − 3x2 y + y 3 + D(x)
−3x2 y + C(y) = 2y − 3x2 y + y 3 + D(x)
C(y) = 2y + y 3 + C
D(x) = C
v(x, y) = 2y − 3x2 y + y 3 + C

(4) Suppose v is a harmonic conjugate of u in domain D. This means that f (z) = u + iv

is analytic. Constant multiples of differentiable functions are differentiable, so −if (z) =
−iu + v = v + i(−u) is also analytic. Since v + i(−u) is analytic, −u is a harmonic conjugate
of v.
Now suppose −u is a harmonic conjugate of v in domain D. Then v + i(−u) is analytic,
and so is i(v + i(−u)) = u + iv. Therefore v is a harmonic conjugate of u.

(5) The CR conditions in polars are

rur = vθ uθ = −rvr

Let’s take the partial with respect to r of the first equation and respect to θ of the second,
then sub vθr from one into the other.
∂ ∂
rur = vθ
∂r ∂r
ur + rurr = vθr
∂ ∂
uθ = − rvr
∂θ ∂θ
uθθ = −rvrθ
= −rvθr
= −r(ur + rur r)
r2 urr + rur + uθθ = 0

Now switch up the partials so that we can eliminate the u’s.

∂ ∂
rur = vθ
∂θ ∂θ
rurθ = vθθ
∂ ∂
uθ = − rvr
∂r ∂r
uθr = −vr − rvrr
urθ = −vr − rvrr
r(−vr − rvrr = vθθ
2
r vrr + rvr + vθθ = 0