Questions tagged [harmonic-functions]

For questions regarding harmonic functions.

The solutions of the Laplace equation $\Delta f =0$ on a domain $D\subset \mathbb{R}^n$ are known as harmonic functions.

Harmonic functions appear most naturally in complex analysis and the Laplace equation is the most important PDE to study.

The Cauchy-Riemann equation together with the conjugated Cauchy-Riemann equation shows that the sum of an analytic function and an anti-analytic function is harmonic and in fact every complex harmonic function can be written as such. In particular the real/imaginary part of an analytic function is harmonic.

In any dimension, harmonic functions satisfy the following properties

  • Mean value property,

  • Maximum principle,

  • Harnack inequality,

  • Liouville's theorem.

Harmonic functions satisfy the regularity theorem for harmonic functions, which states that harmonic functions are infinitely differentiable (follows from Laplace's equation).

Please use instead the tag Laplacian if your question concern the Laplacian as an operator.

2026 questions
24
votes
1 answer

Really: why is the Kelvin transform harmonic?

So, it is a famous fact that if $u:\mathbb{R}^n \to \mathbb{R}$ is an harmonic function, then its Kelvin transform $$ (Ku)(x) := \frac{1}{|x|^{n-2}} u\left(\frac{x}{|x|^2} \right) $$ is harmonic too. Apparently, all the proofs of this fact that I…
24
votes
3 answers

Why are harmonic functions called harmonic functions?

Are they related to harmonic series in any way? Or something else? Wikipedia didn't help.
23
votes
5 answers

Composition of a harmonic function with a holomorphic function is still harmonic

If $f$ is a harmonic function in a domain $D \subset \mathbb{C}$, and $g$ is a conformal mapping of a domain $D_0$ onto $D$, is $f \circ g$ harmonic in $D_0$? I noticed this question while reading several pdf of lecture notes, and I'm having…
Maria
  • 2,059
  • 1
  • 14
  • 26
21
votes
2 answers

Is it Possible to Construct all Proofs in Complex Analysis using Brownian Motion?

(First, I am very aware of the fact that Brownian motion is actually probably more difficult to understand than at least basic complex analysis, so the pedagogical merits of such an approach would be questionable for anyone besides a probabilist…
18
votes
3 answers

Calculating a harmonic conjugate

Is the following reasoning correct? Determine a harmonic conjugate to the function \begin{equation} f(x,y)=2y^{3}-6x^{2}y+4x^{2}-7xy-4y^{2}+3x+4y-4 \end{equation} We first of all check if $f(x,y)$ is indeed a harmonic function. This amounts to…
harmOnic17
  • 181
  • 1
  • 1
  • 3
17
votes
2 answers

Are spherical harmonics harmonic?

According to Wikipedia, a harmonic function is one which satisfies: $$ \nabla^2 f = 0 $$ The spherical harmonics (also according to Wikipedia) satisfy the relation $$ \nabla^2 Y_l^m(\theta,\phi) = -\frac{l(l+1)}{r^2} Y_l^m(\theta,\phi) $$ which is 0…
vibe
  • 996
  • 4
  • 11
15
votes
2 answers

Logarithm of absolute value of a holomorphic function harmonic?

Let $f:U\rightarrow\mathbb{C}$ be holomorphic on some open domain $U\subset\hat{\mathbb{C}}=\mathbb{C}\cup\{\infty\}$ and $f(z)\not=0$ for $z\in U$. Is it true that $z\mapsto \log(|f(z)|)$ is harmonic on $U$ ? I guess the answer is yes and if that…
anon
14
votes
1 answer

Weakly Harmonic Functions (Weak Solutions to Laplace's Equation $\Delta u=0$) and Logic of Test Function Techniques.

In analysis we often use test functions $\phi\in C_{0}^{\infty}(U)$ in order to make some kind of deduction about another function $u:U\mapsto\mathbb{C}$. For example, if one can obtain the conclusion $\int_{U}u\phi\;dx=0$ for every $\phi$, then we…
13
votes
1 answer

Why is it important to study the eigenvalues of the Laplacian?

Why is it important to study the eigenvalues of the Laplacian acting on regions in $\mathbb R^n$? What information does this give us? What problems does this information help us solve? In particular, if $0$ is in the spectrum, does this tell us…
13
votes
2 answers

How do you prove that $\ln|f(z)|$ is harmonic?

Suppose that $f(z)$ is analytic and nonzero in a domain $D$. Prove that $\ln|f(z)|$ is harmonic in $D$. I know the laplacian equation but I'm not sure how to use it.
LCK24
  • 133
  • 1
  • 1
  • 6
13
votes
1 answer

Harmonic functions with zeros on two lines

For which pairs of lines $L_1$, $L_2$ do there exist real functions, harmonic in the whole plane, that are $0$ at all points of $L_1 \cup L_2$ without vanishing identically? Note: This is self-study -- not homework. My thoughts: I tried to exploit…
PeterM
  • 5,147
  • 1
  • 29
  • 67
12
votes
1 answer

What is the Fourier transform of spherical harmonics?

What is the definition (or some sources) of the Fourier transform of spherical harmonics?
12
votes
1 answer

Is there more to complex analysis than a two-dimensional potential theory?

Wikipedia entry on Potential theory in two dimensions says the following From the fact that the group of conformal transforms is infinite-dimensional in two dimensions and finite-dimensional for more than two dimensions, one can surmise that…
11
votes
1 answer

Mean value property implies harmonicity

It is fairly easy to show that harmonic functions satisfy the mean value property, but it seems harder to show the converse. I've seen the following theorem without proof: If $u \in C(\Omega)$ satisfies $$u(z) = \frac{1}{|\partial …
4ae1e1
  • 775
  • 5
  • 18
11
votes
2 answers

Show harmonic function is constant on $\mathbb{R}^n$

I'm trying to solve the following question (this is just for practice): If $u$ is harmonic within $\mathbb{R}^n$ with $\int_{\mathbb{R}^n}|Du|^2 dx \leq C$ for some $C > 0$, then show that u is a constant in $\mathbb{R}^n$. I guess the idea is to…
saurs
  • 1,317
  • 3
  • 13
  • 18
1
2 3
99 100