[Math] Showing kinetic and potential energy is constant

partial differential equations

Consider the initial value problem:

\begin{cases}
u_{tt} &= c^2 u_{xx} \ \ & \text{for} \ -\infty < x < \infty, \ 0 \leq t < \infty\\
u(x,0) &= \phi(x) \ \ & \text{for} \ -\infty < x < \infty\\
u_t(x,0) &= \psi(x) \ \ & \text{for} \ -\infty < x < \infty\\
\end{cases}
where $\phi$ has compact support (that is, outside some bounded interval, $\phi$ is zero), and $\psi(x) = 0$. Define the kinetic energy $KE = \frac{1}{2}\int_{-\infty}^{\infty} \rho u_t^{2} dx$ and the potential energy $PE = \frac{1}{2} \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} T u_x^{2} dx$. Show not that, for large enough times $t$, each of $KE$ and $PE$ is itself constant, and they are equal to each other. Can you prove the same thing if the inital velocity $\psi$ merely has compact support, instead of being zero?

I am not sure how to start this, how am I to show that $KE$ and $PE$ are constant? I usually post some work but I am not sure how to start this. Any help would be useful.

Best Answer

Define $E_k(t) \equiv \frac{1}{2}\int_{\mathbb{R}}u_t^2(x,t){\rm d}x$ and $E_p(t) \equiv \frac{1}{2}\int_{\mathbb{R}}c^2u_x^2(x,t){\rm d}x$. Then taking the derivative and using integration by parts we get $$\frac{d}{dt}(E_k(t) + E_p(t)) = \int_{\mathbb{R}}u_t[u_{tt} - c^2u_{xx}]{\rm d}x = 0$$ so the total energy is conserved. To show that $E_p(t) = E_k(t)$ for large $t$ we need an expression for the solution. This is given by d'Alemberts formula

$$u(x,t) = \frac{\phi(x+ct) + \phi(x-ct)}{2} + \frac{1}{2c}\int_{x-ct}^{x+ct}\psi(s){\rm d}s$$

from which you can compute $u_t$, $u_x$ and derive

$$E_k(t) - E_p(t) = \frac{1}{2}\int_{\mathbb{R}}[\psi(x+ct)+c\phi'(x+ct)][\psi(x-ct)-c\phi'(x-ct)]{\rm d}x$$

To make the algebra above simpler note that $u_t^2 - c^2u_x^2 = (u_t - cu_x)(u_t+cu_x)$. Now since $\phi$ and $\psi$ has compact support then there is a $M>0$ such that $\phi'(x) = \psi(x) = 0$ for all $|x| > M$. Now if $ct > \frac{M}{2}$ then either $|x-ct| > M$ or $|x+ct|>M$ for all $x$ so the integrand above is identical to zero and $E_p = E_k$ follows. Finally since we know that $E_k + E_p$ is constant it follows that $E_p$ and $E_k$ has to be constant for large $t$.