A method for the calculation of eigenfunction expansions (Q801645)

A method is presented for the calculation of the coefficients of the series expansion of a function f(t), in the base orthonormal set made up by the eigenfunctions of the self-adjoint operator \(L(x(t))=(d/dt)(p(t)(dx(t)/dt))-q(t)x(t).\) We show that the values of the numbers \(<f,x_ k>\) can be obtained by solving the differential equation \((L+\lambda)y(t)=Kf(t),\) in the interval of definition, for each of the eigenvalues \(\lambda\) of L and by using as initial conditions those which determine one of its associated orthonormal functions. This makes the method specially interesting for its implementation on a hybrid computer: One advantage of the proposed method is that the analysis of f(t) does not require the simultaneous presence of the functions of the base set and the problem signal, thus eliminating both the problems of the synchronized generation of signals and the need for storing it in memory.