math

integral operator

integral operator — from formula anatomy
14 related articles · 6 formulas

Description

An integral operator is a mathematical mapping that takes a function and produces another function by integrating it against a kernel. In physics, integral operators appear in many fundamental equations, such as the Schrödinger equation in its integral form, the Lippmann-Schwinger equation for scattering, and the Fredholm equations of the first and second kind. They are essential for describing non-local interactions, where the value of a field at one point depends on its values over a region.

History

Integral operators were systematically studied in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by Vito Volterra, Erik Ivar Fredholm, and David Hilbert, leading to the development of functional analysis. Their application to physics grew with quantum mechanics in the 1920s.

How it works

Given a kernel K(x, y) and a function f(y), the integral operator acts as (Tf)(x) = ∫ K(x, y) f(y) dy. The kernel encodes the interaction or propagation between points y and x. Solving equations with integral operators often involves discretizing the integral into a matrix problem, or using iterative methods like the Neumann series. The properties of the kernel (symmetry, positivity, decay) determine the operator's spectrum and the behavior of solutions.

In practice

Used in quantum scattering theory, electromagnetic field computations, and image reconstruction algorithms like those in CT scans.

Fun fact

The kernel of an integral operator in quantum mechanics is often the Green's function, which physically represents the probability amplitude for a particle to travel from one point to another.

Concept graph →

Formulas

$$S = \frac{1}{16\pi G} \int d^4x \sqrt{-g} \, R$$
The action for general relativity in curved spacetime.
What is in the formula
SvariableAction — action joule second
gvariableDeterminant of the metric tensor — metric determinant
RvariableRicci scalar curvature — ricci scalar reciprocal metre squared
d^4xvariableFour-dimensional spacetime volume element — spacetime volume element metre to the fourth
GconstantNewton's constant of universal gravitation — gravitational constant = 6.67430e-11 cubic metre per kilogram per second squared
\intoperatorIntegration over spacetime — integral operator
$$Z = \int \mathcal{L}(\Theta) \pi(\Theta) d\Theta$$
Integral of likelihood times prior over parameter space.
What is in the formula
ZvariableBayesian evidence (marginal likelihood) — bayesian evidence
ΘvariableParameter vector — parameter vector
L(Θ)variableLikelihood function — likelihood function
π(Θ)variablePrior probability density — prior probability density
∫operatorIntegration over parameter space — integral operator
dΘoperatorInfinitesimal volume element — volume element
$$S_E = \int L_E d\tau$$
Action in Euclidean time for path integral weighting.
What is in the formula
S_EvariableEuclidean action — action joule second
L_EvariableEuclidean Lagrangian — lagrangian joule
τvariableEuclidean time — time second
∫operatorIntegration over Euclidean time — integral operator
dτoperatorInfinitesimal time element — differential element
$$D_{KL}(P\|Q) = \int P(x) \log \frac{P(x)}{Q(x)} dx$$
Measures difference between two probability distributions.
What is in the formula
D_{KL}variableKullback-Leibler divergence — information divergence
P(x)variableprobability density of distribution P — probability density
Q(x)variableprobability density of distribution Q — probability density
xvariablerandom variable — random variable
\intoperatorsums the integrand over all values of x — integral operator
\logoperatorcomputes the logarithm of the ratio — logarithm
$$\text{RM} = \frac{e^3}{2\pi m_e^2 c^4} \int n_e B_\parallel \, dl$$
Rotation measure is proportional to the integral of electron density times parallel magnetic field along the line of sight.
What is in the formula
n_evariableelectron number density — electron number density per cubic metre
B_parallelvariablemagnetic field component along line of sight — magnetic flux density tesla
dlvariableinfinitesimal path element along line of sight metre
econstantelementary charge — elementary charge = 1.602176634e-19 coulomb
m_econstantelectron rest mass — electron mass = 9.1093837015e-31 kilogram
cconstantspeed of light in vacuum — speed of light = 299792458 metre per second
∫operatorsummation over the line of sight — integral operator
$$\text{DM} = \int_0^z n_e(z') \, \frac{c \, dz'}{H(z')}$$
Dispersion measure is the integral of electron density over redshift-dependent path length.
What is in the formula
n_e(z')variableelectron number density at redshift z' — electron number density per cubic metre
zvariablesource redshift — redshift
z'variableintegration variable redshift — redshift
cconstantspeed of light in vacuum — speed of light = 299792458 metre per second
∫operatorsummation over redshift from 0 to z — integral operator

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