36 4.

7 Method of separation of variables

Plane polar coordinates. We substitute a potential of the form φ(r, θ) = f (r)g(θ) in

Laplace’s equation expressed in plane polar coordinates,

1 ∂2φ
 
2 1 ∂ ∂φ
∇ φ= r + 2 2 = 0,
r ∂r ∂r r ∂θ
f d2 g
 
g d df
⇒ r + 2 2 = 0,
r dr dr r dθ
1 d2 g
 
r d df
⇒ r + = 0, (division by f (r)g(θ)/r2 )
f dr dr g dθ2
1 d2 g
 
r d df
⇒ r =− .
f dr dr g dθ2

Since the terms on the left and right sides of the equation are functions of independent
variables, r and θ respectively, they must take a constant value, k 2 say. Thus we have
transformed a partial differential equation for φ into two ordinary differential equations for f
and g,
   
r d df 2 d df
r =k ⇒r r − k 2 f = 0,
f dr dr dr dr
1 d2 g 2 d2 g
= −k ⇒ + k 2 g = 0.
g dθ2 dθ2

Thus, g(θ) = A cos(kθ) + B sin(kθ). For a 2π-periodic function g, such that g(θ) = g(θ + 2π),
k must be integer. So
g(θ) = A cos(nθ) + B sin(nθ), n ∈ Z,
and f is solution to
d2 f df
r2 2
+r − n2 f = 0.
dr dr
Substituting nontrivial functions of the form f = arα gives,

α(α − 1) + α − n2 arα = 0 ⇔ α2 = n2 .
 

The two independent solutions have α = ±n; the general separable solution to Laplace’s
equation in plane polar coordinates is therefore

φ(r, θ) = Arn + Br−n cos(nθ) + Crn + Dr−n sin(nθ), n ∈ Z,

(4.11)

where A, B, C and D are constants to be determined by the boundary conditions.

Separable solutions to Laplace’s equation in spherical polar coordinates can be obtained in a

similar manner, but involves Legendre polynomials Pl (cos(θ)).

Example 4.2 (Cylinder in an extensional flow)

Consider the velocity potential

φ(r, θ) = Ar2 + Br−2 cos(2θ)

corresponding to a particular solution to Laplace’s equation of the form (4.11), with n = 2.

The radial velocity of this flow is
 
∂φ B
ur = = 2r A − 4 cos(2θ).
∂r r