Advanced Classical Physics, Autumn 2016 Problem Sheet 7 – Solutions

1. (a) The critical points are at ẋ = ẏ = 0. So we need to solve for x and y given
1
x − x2 − xy = 0 ,
2
y − y2 = 0 .
The solutions are at (x0 , y0 ) = (0,0), (0,1), (1,0), and (1/2,1).
(b) Consider small perturbations about the critical points x = x0 +ξ and y = y0 +η. Inserting
these into the system we have
1 1 1 1
ẋ0 + ξ˙ = x0 + ξ − x20 − ξ 2 − 2x0 ξ − x0 y0 − ξη − x0 η − x0 ξ ,
2 2 2 2
ẏ0 + η̇ = y0 + η − y02 − η 2 − 2y0 η .
Equating the original equations and eliminating terms higher than linear in the perturba-
tions ξ and η we have
1 1 1 1
ξ˙ = ξ − 2x0 ξ − x0 η − y0 ξ = (1 − 2x0 − y0 )ξ − x0 η ,
2 2 2 2
η̇ = η − 2y0 η = (1 − 2y0 )η .
This can be written the matrix operation

1 − 2x0 − 12 y0 − 12 x0
    
d ξ ξ
= .
dt η 0 1 − 2y0 η

It is easiest to substitute in the values for x0 and y0 at this point instead of at the end i.e.
for (0,0) we have the matrix  
1 0
,
0 1
giving degenerate eigenvalues λ = 1 and eigenvectors e1 = (0, 1) and e2 = (1, 0).
Similarly the point (x0 , y0 ) = (1, 0) gives

−1 − 21
 
,
0 1

giving eigenvalues λ1 = 1 and λ2 = −1 and and eigenvectors e1 = (−1/4, 1) and

e2 = (1, 0).
The point at (x0 , y0 ) = (0, 1) gives eigenvalues λ1 = −1 and λ2 = 1/2 and and eigen-
vectors e1 = (0, 1) and e2 = (1, 0).
The point at (x0 , y0 ) = (1/2, 1) gives eigenvalues λ1 = −1 and λ2 = −1/2 and and
eigenvectors e1 = (1/2, 1) and e2 = (1, 0).
(c) At each point draw the local eigenvectors. These will show the orientation of the local
geometry then draw trajectories with arrows indicating flow depending on stability
• At (0,0) we have (case 3) a proper, unstable node. This is symmetric about the origin
with trajectories flowing out.
• At (1,0) we have (case 2) a saddle point with the stable asymptote along the x axis
and the unstable asymptote along the line given by y = −1/4x.
• At (0,1) we have (case 2) a saddle point with the stable asymptote along the y axis
and the unstable asymptote along the line y = 1.

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Advanced Classical Physics, Autumn 2016 Problem Sheet 7 – Solutions

• At (1/2,1) we have (case 1) a stable, improper node with stable asymptotes along the
line y = 1 and y = 1/2x.
See Fig. 1 for the phase portrait, direction of trajectories as per above but needs to be
added to sketch.

Figure 1:

2. (a) The system is of the form

L̇1 + AL2 L3 = 0 ,
L̇2 + BL3 L1 = 0 ,
L̇3 + CL1 L2 = 0 ,
and all three time derivatives will vanish if any two angular momenta are zero. So we have
a six critical points; at L1 = ±L,L2 = L3 = 0 and permutation of the indices.
(b) For small perturbations about the solution with L1 = L3 = 0 i.e. L1 = ξ, L2 = L̃2 + η,
and L3 = ζ we have
ξ˙ + A(L + η)ζ = 0 ,
L̇ + η̇ + Bζξ = 0 ,
żeta + Cξ(L + η) = 0 .
Since L̇ = 0 at zeroth order in the perturbations the linearised system for ξ, η, and ζ is
ξ˙ + ALζ = 0 ,
η̇ = 0 ,
żeta + CξL = 0 .

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Advanced Classical Physics, Autumn 2016 Problem Sheet 7 – Solutions

This can be written as the matrix operation

    
d ξ 0 −A L ξ
= ,
dt ζ −C L ζ
where we have dropped the η equation since it has the trivial solution η =constant.
√
(c) The eigenvalues for the matrix are λ± = ± ACL. If I1 < I2 < I3 then and since the
moments or inertia are all positive by definition the term in the square root is positive and
therefore we have (case 2) an unstable saddle point.
√
(d) In this case we get eigenvalues proportional to ± AB. Since AB is always negative we
have purely imaginary, conjugate eigenvalues giving (case 6) a stable centre.
3. (a) Substitute for q, p in terms of Q, P to obtain the new Hamiltonian H → H 0 ,
H 0 = 23/2 ω1 Q1 sin2 P1 + ω2 Q2 sin2 P2


+ ω12 (Q1 /ω1 ) cos2 P1 + ω22 (Q2 /ω2 ) cos2 P2 ,


(3.1)

H 0 = 23/2 (ω1 Q1 + ω2 Q2 ) . (3.2)

[4 marks]
(b) Hamilton’s equations in Q, P coordinates are ∂H 0 /∂P = Q̇, ∂H 0 /∂Q = −Ṗ and yield
Q̇1 = 0 , Q̇2 = 0 , (3.3)

Ṗ1 = −23/2 ω1 , Ṗ2 = −23/2 ω2 . (3.4)

Q1 and Q2 are therefore constants (n.b. the conjugate momenta P1 and P2 are cyclic), and
the solutions for P1 and P2 are
P1 = −23/2 (ω1 t + φ1 ) and P2 = −23/2 (ω2 t + φ2 ) , (3.5)
where φ1 and φ2 are constants determined by the initial conditions. [5 marks]
(c) The inverse transformation (Q, P ) → (q, p) is canonical if {qi , qj }Q,P = {pi , pj }Q,P = 0
and {qi , pj }Q,P = δij . Now
∂q1 ∂q2 ∂q1 ∂q2 ∂q1 ∂q2 ∂q1 ∂q2
{q1 , q2 }Q,P = − + − .
∂Q1 ∂P1 ∂P1 ∂Q1 ∂Q2 ∂P2 ∂P2 ∂Q2
Evaluating this explicitly for the given transformation

cos P1  −1/4  Q1 1/2
   
−1/4 −1
{q1 , q2 }Q,P = 2 2 2 sin P1
(ω1 Q1 )1/2 ω1
 1/2
−1/4 Q1
 
− cos P1
−2 (− sin P1 ) 2−1/4 2−1
ω1 (ω1 Q1 )1/2

cos P2  −1/4  Q2 1/2
   
+ 2−1/4 2−1 2 (− sin P1 )
(ω2 Q2 )1/2 ω2
 1/2
−1/4 Q2
 
cos P2
−2 (− sin P2 ) 2−1/4 2−1 =0.
ω2 (ω2 Q2 )1/2

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Advanced Classical Physics, Autumn 2016 Problem Sheet 7 – Solutions

Very similar calculations show that the remaining nontrivial canonical conditions
{p1 , p2 }Q,P = {q1 , p2 }Q,P = {q2 , p1 }Q,P = 0 and {q1 , p1 }Q,P = {q2 , p2 }Q,P = 1
are also satisfied. [6 marks]
(d) Transforming the solutions of (3.3) and (3.4) back into the original coordinates gives
n h i h io
q1 (t) = 2−1/4 (Q1 /ω1 )1/2 cos 23/2 (ω1 t + φ1 ) + (Q2 /ω2 )1/2 cos 23/2 (ω2 t + φ2 )
n h i h io
q2 (t) = 2−1/4 − (Q1 /ω1 )1/2 cos 23/2 (ω1 t + φ1 ) + (Q2 /ω2 )1/2 cos 23/2 (ω2 t + φ2 )
h i
p1 = 21/4 − (ω1 Q1 )1/2 sin 23/2 (ω1 t + φ1 ) − (ω2 Q2 )1/2 sin 23/2 (ω2 t + φ2 )
h i
p2 = 21/4 (ω1 Q1 )1/2 sin 23/2 (ω1 t + φ1 ) − (ω2 Q2 )1/2 sin 23/2 (ω2 t + φ2 ) ,

where Q1 , Q2 , φ1 and φ2 are constants determined from the initial conditions. [5 marks]
[TOTAL 20 marks]