在球坐标曲面所围区域上讨论问题时,自然应采用求坐标
(
r
,
θ
,
φ
)
(r,\theta,\varphi)
(r,θ,φ),此时
L
a
p
l
a
c
e
Laplace
Laplace算子
Δ
3
=
1
r
2
∂
∂
r
(
r
2
∂
∂
r
)
+
1
r
2
s
i
n
θ
∂
∂
θ
(
s
i
n
θ
∂
∂
θ
)
+
1
r
2
s
i
n
2
θ
∂
2
∂
φ
2
\Delta_3=\frac{1}{r^2}\frac{\partial}{\partial r}(r^2\frac{\partial}{\partial r})+\frac{1}{r^2sin\theta}\frac{\partial}{\partial \theta}(sin\theta\frac{\partial }{\partial \theta})+\frac{1}{r^2sin^2\theta}\frac{\partial^2}{\partial \varphi^2}
Δ3=r21∂r∂(r2∂r∂)+r2sinθ1∂θ∂(sinθ∂θ∂)+r2sin2θ1∂φ2∂2
设
v
(
r
,
θ
,
φ
)
=
R
(
r
)
Θ
(
θ
)
Φ
(
φ
)
v(r,\theta,\varphi)=R(r)\Theta(\theta)\varPhi(\varphi)
v(r,θ,φ)=R(r)Θ(θ)Φ(φ),代入Helmholtz方程(1),两边同除以
R
Θ
Φ
R\Theta \varPhi
RΘΦ,有
1
r
2
(
r
2
R
′
)
′
R
+
1
r
2
[
1
s
i
n
θ
(
s
i
n
θ
Θ
′
)
′
Θ
+
1
s
i
n
2
θ
Φ
′
′
Φ
]
+
k
2
=
0
\frac{\frac{1}{r^2}(r^2R')'}{R}+\frac{1}{r^2}[\frac{1}{sin\theta}\frac{(sin\theta\Theta')'}{\Theta}+\frac{1}{sin^2\theta}\frac{\varPhi''}{\varPhi}]+k^2=0
Rr21(r2R′)′+r21[sinθ1Θ(sinθΘ′)′+sin2θ1ΦΦ′′]+k2=0
逐层剥离,得常微分方程
Φ
′
′
+
μ
Φ
=
0
1
s
i
n
θ
(
s
i
n
θ
Θ
′
)
′
+
(
λ
−
μ
s
i
n
2
θ
)
Θ
=
0
(
6
)
1
r
2
(
r
2
R
′
)
′
+
(
k
2
−
λ
r
2
)
R
=
0
(
7
)
\varPhi''+\mu\varPhi=0 \\ \frac{1}{sin\theta}(sin\theta \Theta')'+(\lambda-\frac{\mu}{sin^2\theta})\Theta=0 \quad(6)\\ \frac{1}{r^2}(r^2R')'+(k^2-\frac{\lambda}{r^2})R=0 \quad (7)
Φ′′+μΦ=0sinθ1(sinθΘ′)′+(λ−sin2θμ)Θ=0(6)r21(r2R′)′+(k2−r2λ)R=0(7)
其中,方程(7)称为球Bessel方程,可转化为Bessel方程。特别地,当
k
=
0
k=0
k=0(Laplace方程)时,(7)式为Euler方程
r
2
R
′
′
+
2
r
R
′
−
λ
R
=
0
r^2R''+2rR'-\lambda R=0
r2R′′+2rR′−λR=0
关于
Θ
(
θ
)
\Theta(\theta)
Θ(θ)的方程(6),经变量代换
x
=
c
o
s
θ
x=cos\theta
x=cosθ,并记
y
(
x
)
=
Θ
(
a
r
c
c
o
s
x
)
,
μ
=
m
2
y(x)=\Theta(arccosx),\mu=m^2
y(x)=Θ(arccosx),μ=m2,可改写为S-L型方程
[
(
1
−
x
2
)
y
′
]
′
+
(
λ
−
m
2
1
−
x
2
)
y
=
0
[(1-x^2)y']'+(\lambda-\frac{m^2}{1-x^2})y=0
[(1−x2)y′]′+(λ−1−x2m2)y=0
称为m阶伴随勒让德(Legendre)方程。特别地,当m=0时,方程
[
(
1
−
x
2
)
y
′
]
′
+
λ
y
=
0
[(1-x^2)y']'+\lambda y=0
[(1−x2)y′]′+λy=0
称为Legendre方程。
Bessel方程和Legendre方程都是变系数二阶线性常微分方程,它们的解Bessel函数和Legendre多项式是重要的特殊函数。