NDEigenvalues

NDEigenvalues[[u[x,y,]],u,{x,y,}Ω,n]

gives the n smallest magnitude eigenvalues for the linear differential operator over the region Ω.

NDEigenvalues[{1[u[x,y,],v[x,y,],],2[u[x,y,],v[x,y,],],},{u,v,},{x,y,}Ω,n]

gives eigenvalues for the coupled differential operators {op1,op2,} over the region Ω.

NDEigenvalues[eqns,{u,},t,{x,y,}Ω,n]

gives the eigenvalues in the spatial variables {x,y,} for solutions u, of the coupled time-dependent differential equations eqns.

Details and Options

  • NDEigenvalues, also known as an eigenmode solver, is a numerical eigen solver that finds eigenvalues of differential equations over regions.
  • NDEigenvalues gives a list {λ1,,λn} of the n smallest magnitude eigenvalues λi.
  • The equations eqns are specified as in NDSolve.
  • Eigenvalues are sorted in order of increasing absolute value.
  • Homogeneous DirichletCondition, NeumannValue or generalized Robin boundary conditions may be included. »
  • PeriodicBoundaryCondition may be included.
  • When no boundary condition is specified on part of the boundary Ω, then this is equivalent to specifying a Neumann 0 condition.
  • For a system of first-order time-dependent equations, the time derivatives D[u[t,x,y,],t],D[v[t,x,y,],t], are effectively replaced with λ u[x,y,],λ v[x,y,],.
  • Systems of time-dependent equations that are higher than first order are reduced to a coupled first-order system with intermediate variables ut=u*,=, vt=v*,=, . Only the functions u, v, are returned. »
  • NDEigenvalues accepts a Method option that may be used to control different stages of the solution. With Method->{s1->m1,s2->m2,}, stage si is handled by method mi. When stages are not given explicitly, NDEigenvalues tries to automatically determine what stage to apply a given method to.
  • Possible solution stages are:
  • "PDEDiscretization"discretization of spatial operators.
    "Eigensystem"computation of the eigensystem from the discretized system.
    "VectorNormalization"normalization of the eigenvectors that are used to construct the eigenfunctions.

Examples

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Basic Examples  (3)

Find the 4 smallest eigenvalues of the Laplacian operator on [0,π]:

Compute the first 6 eigenvalues for a circular membrane with the edges clamped:

Specify a Schrödinger operator with parameter and potential :

Find the 5 smallest eigenvalues:

Scope  (12)

1D  (7)

Specify a Laplacian operator:

Specify homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions:

Find the 4 smallest eigenvalues:

Specify a Laplacian operator:

Specify homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions:

Find the four smallest eigenvalues:

This is equivalent:

Specify a transient equation with homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions:

Find the 4 smallest eigenvalues:

Specify a wave equation with homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions:

Find the 4 smallest eigenvalues:

Compute the eigenvalues of a generalized wave equation :

Compare to the exact solution of an equivalent first-order system of ordinary differential equations:

Specify a Liouville operator:

Compute the 4 smallest eigenvalues:

Compare the eigenvalues with the analytical eigenvalues:

Write a function to compute parametric, complex-valued periodic eigenvalues of the Laplace operator:

Find the eigenvalues:

Visualize the eigenvalues over the range from 0 to 4:

2D  (5)

Specify a Laplacian operator:

Find the 4 smallest eigenvalues:

Specify a Laplacian operator:

Find the 4 smallest eigenvalues of the operator in a unit disk:

Specify a Laplacian operator with homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions:

Find the 9 smallest eigenvalues in a rectangle:

Specify a wave equation with homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions:

Find the 4 smallest eigenvalues in a disk:

Solve a partially constrained eigenvalue problem:

Options  (5)

Method  (5)

"Eigensystem"  (3)

Specify a method to use for finding the eigenvalues:

In this case, the default method is faster:

Arnoldi is used as the default method:

Specify a maximum number of iterations for the Arnoldi method:

Find two eigenvalues of a SturmLiouville operator within the band of with the FEAST method for Eigenvalues:

According to the SturmLiouville theory, the eigenvalues must be distinct, but for this example they are close to degenerate:

The interval end points are not included in the interval FEAST finds eigenvalues in; for more information, please refer to the Eigenvalues reference page.

"PDEDiscretization"  (1)

Change the MaxCellMeasure for the underlying computation:

The exact eigenvalues are 0,1,4,9,, so the eigenvalue error is:

A finer mesh results in a decreased discretization error:

"VectorNormalization"  (1)

Compute without any normalization of the computed eigenvalues:

The normalization does not have an effect on the eigenvalues:

Applications  (4)

Acoustics  (1)

Compute the acoustic eigenvalues and eigenfunctions for an approximation of a cross section through a Mini. Import an image of the cross section:

Use the mask tool to create a boundary graphic:

Discretize the graphic:

Compute 6 eigenvalues of the cross section:

Structural Mechanics  (1)

Specify a plane stress PDE:

Compute constraint eigenvalues:

Interval of Eigenvalues and Eigenfunctions  (1)

Find an eigenvalue in an interval:

Quantum Mechanics  (1)

Specify a Schrödinger operator with parameter and potential :

Find the 10 smallest eigenvalues on a refined mesh:

Properties & Relations  (3)

Specify a transient equation with homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions:

Find the 4 smallest eigenvalues:

This is equivalent:

Compare an analytical solution to a higher-order time-dependent PDE.

Find the six smallest eigenvalues of a wave equation for between 0 and :

Compare the eigenvalues with the exact solution of transformed into a system of two first-order equations:

Show the relation between higher-order time-dependent PDEs and systems of first-order PDEs.

Find the six smallest eigenvalues of a wave equation within 0 and :

Find the six smallest eigenvalues of a wave equation given as a system of first-order PDEs :

The eigenvalues for the second-order system and the system of first-order equations are the same:

Possible Issues  (9)

The computed eigenvalues depend on the granularity of the discretization:

The exact eigenvalues are 0,1,4,9,, so the eigenvalue error is:

A finer mesh results in a decreased discretization error:

The eigenvalues of the wave equation will be the square root of the angular frequencies:

Compare to the exact solution of an equivalent first-order system of ordinary differential equations:

Eigenvalues with inhomogeneous Dirichlet conditions cannot be solved for:

Eigenvalues with homogeneous Dirichlet conditions can be solved for:

Eigenvalues with inhomogeneous Neumann values cannot be solved for:

Eigenvalues with homogeneous Neumann values can be solved for:

The same result:

Eigenvalues with inhomogeneous generalized Neumann values cannot be solved for:

The operator and possible boundary conditions need to be stationary and linear:

Initial conditions will be set to zero and ignored:

The same result:

NDEigenvalue converts PDEs to time-dependent PDEs. This transformation is not unique and may lead to what seem to be unexpected results for coupled PDEs:

Internally, the given equations are rewritten as a system of time-dependent PDEs. In the previous case from the given dependent variables {v[x],u[x]}, the following temporal system is generated: {D[v[t, x], t] == - u[t, x] - Laplacian[u[t, x], {x}],D[u[t, x], t] == -v[t, x] - Laplacian[v[t, x], {x}]}

To uniquely specify the system of equations, it is best to use the temporal description:

More information on this topic can be found in Finite Element Method Usage Tips.

In some cases, NDEigenvalues may return what seem to be unexpected results for coupled PDEs:

One way to avoid this issue is to specify an ordering of the dependent variables via the "InterpolationOrder" option:

Alternatively, the "Direct" method can be used:

More information on this topic can be found in Finite Element Method Usage Tips.

Wolfram Research (2015), NDEigenvalues, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/NDEigenvalues.html.

Text

Wolfram Research (2015), NDEigenvalues, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/NDEigenvalues.html.

CMS

Wolfram Language. 2015. "NDEigenvalues." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/NDEigenvalues.html.

APA

Wolfram Language. (2015). NDEigenvalues. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/NDEigenvalues.html

BibTeX

@misc{reference.wolfram_2023_ndeigenvalues, author="Wolfram Research", title="{NDEigenvalues}", year="2015", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/NDEigenvalues.html}", note=[Accessed: 19-March-2024 ]}

BibLaTeX

@online{reference.wolfram_2023_ndeigenvalues, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={NDEigenvalues}, year={2015}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/NDEigenvalues.html}, note=[Accessed: 19-March-2024 ]}