Advanced Classical Physics, Autumn 2016 Problem Sheet 7

Please hand in the questions marked with (RF) to the Students Administration Office by 2pm on
Monday 28 November for marking. These questions will be covered in the Rapid Feedback session
on Friday 2 December.

1. (RF) Consider the second order system

1
ẋ = x − x2 − xy ,
2
ẏ = y − y 2 .

(a) Find the four critical points for the system.

(b) Work out the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the linearised system close to each critical
point.
(c) Sketch the phase portrait of the system.

2. (RF) Consider the free rotation of a rigid body. In terms of the angular momenta about each of
the three principle axes we can write the dynamical system as

(I3 − I2 )
L̇1 + L2 L3 = 0 ,
I2 I3
(I1 − I3 )
L̇2 + L3 L1 = 0 ,
I3 I1
(I2 − I1 )
L̇3 + L1 L2 = 0 ,
I1 I2

where Ix are the principle moments of inertia.

(a) List the critical points for this system.

(b) Consider small perturbations about the solution with L1 = L3 = 0 i.e. L1 = ξ, L2 = L +
η, and L3 = ζ with ξ, η, and ζ small. Expand the system to linear order in the perturbations
to show that L2 is constant and the perturbations in L1 and L3 evolve according to
    
d ξ 0 −A L ξ
= , (1.1)
dt ζ −C L ζ

where A = (I3 − I2 )/(I2 I3 ) and C = (I2 − I1 )/(I1 I2 ).

(c) Use this to show that the point L1 = L3 = 0, L2 = L is an unstable critical point for the
case when I1 < I2 < I3 .
(d) Using a similar analysis, find the nature of the critical point L1 = L2 = 0, L3 = L for the
same object.

3. A system of two particles is described by the Hamiltonian:

H = p21 + p22 + ω12 (q1 − q2 )2 + ω22 (q1 + q2 )2 ,

where qi , pi are coordinates and momenta respectively, whilst ωi are constants (i = 1, 2).

1
Advanced Classical Physics, Autumn 2016 Problem Sheet 7

(a) Show that the transformation

h i
q1 = 2−1/4 (Q1 /ω1 )1/2 cos P1 + (Q2 /ω2 )1/2 cos P2 ,
h i
q2 = 2−1/4 − (Q1 /ω1 )1/2 cos P1 + (Q2 /ω2 )1/2 cos P2 ,
h i
p1 = 21/4 (ω1 Q1 )1/2 sin P1 + (ω2 Q2 )1/2 sin P2 ,
h i
1/4 1/2 1/2
p2 = 2 − (ω1 Q1 ) sin P1 + (ω2 Q2 ) sin P2 ,

gives rise to the new Hamiltonian

H 0 = 23/2 (ω1 Q1 + ω2 Q2 ) .

[4 marks]
(b) Solve Hamilton’s equations for the motion described by H 0 . [5 marks]
(c) List the conditions for the transformation to be canonical. Evaluate explicitly the Pois-
son Bracket {q1 , q2 } and confirm that it satisfies the appropriate canonical condition.
[6 marks]
(d) Use the solution for the motion described by H 0 to solve for the motion described by the
original Hamiltonian, H. [5 marks]

[TOTAL 20 marks]