The spherical harmonic spectrum of a function with algebraic singularities (Q1934657)

Spectral methods approximate an unknown function by an expansion in terms of a prescribed set of basis functions which are usually orthogonal. The asymptotic behaviour of the spectral coefficients provides a useful diagnostic of the smoothness of the function. On a two-dimensional spherical surface, a function \(f\) is expanded in terms of fully normalised spherical harmonics \(Y_{\ell}^m(\theta,\phi) = P_{\ell}^{m}(\cos{\theta}) \{ \sin , \cos \} (m\phi)\), where \(P_{\ell}^m\) are the associated Legendre functions and the integer indices \(\ell\) and \(m\) give respectively the degree and order, i.e. \(f(\theta, \phi) = \sum_{m=0}^{\infty} \sum_{\ell = m}^{\infty} a_{\ell}^m Y_{\ell}^m(\theta,\phi)\) where the sum over sine or cosine dependence in longitude is suppressed. The functions considered are smooth except either at a point or on a line of constant colatitude \(\theta_0\), at which it has an algebraic singularity taking the form \(\theta^p\) or \(| \theta - \theta_0 |^p\) respectively, for some real number \(p>-1\). It is proven that each type of singularity has a signature on the rotationally invariant energy spectrum defined by \(E(\ell) = \sqrt{\sum_{m} (a_{\ell}^m)^2}\) of \(\ell^{-(p+3/2)}\) or \(\ell^{-(p+1)}\) respectively. By viewing point or line singularities within an appropriately oriented local 2D Cartesian coordinate system, it is shown that there are strong links between the local Legendre spectrum and the global spherical harmonic energy spectrum. Next, a finite collection of singular points and of (possibly intersecting) singular lines of arbitrary orientation is considered. It is shown that in such a case the overall behaviour of \(E(\ell)\) is controlled by the gravest singularity, a notion known as Darboux's principle. Several numerical examples are presented to illustrate the results. Finally, the generalisation of singularities on lines of constant colatitude to those on any closed curve on a spherical surface is discussed.