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Kelvin transform
The Kelvin transform is a device used in classical potential theory to extend the concept of a harmonic function, by allowing the definition of a function which is 'harmonic at infinity'. This technique is also used in the study of subharmonic and superharmonic functions. In order to define the Kelvin transform * of a function f, it is necessary to first consider the concept of inversion in a sphere in Rn as follows. It is possible to use inversion in any sphere, but the ideas are clearest when considering a sphere with centre at the origin. Given a fixed sphere S(0, R) with centre 0 and radius R, the inversion of a point x in Rn is defined to be A useful effect of this inversion is that the origin 0 is the image of \infty, and \infty is the image of 0. Under this inversion, spheres are transformed into spheres, and the exterior of a sphere is transformed to the interior, and vice versa. The Kelvin transform of a function is then defined by: If D is an open subset of Rn which does not contain 0, then for any function f defined on D, the Kelvin transform * of f with respect to the sphere S(0, R) is One of the important properties of the Kelvin transform, and the main reason behind its creation, is the following result: This follows from the formula
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