[Axiom-mail] Dirac Delta

[C Y]

Oddly enough, I was just looking at Dirac Deltas (from a physics
standpoint, a CAS with a good handle on the Dirac Delta is a Good
Thing).

It looks like a mathematically rigorous definition of the Dirac Delta
would require generalized functions (a.k.a distributions).  I don't
know much about them and it looks like a rather advanced branch of
mathematics.  Whether it would fit into Axiom (or whether it might
already be there in some form) I don't know, but certainly it's a Topic
Of Interest - someday we will want to deal with the Dirac Delta and
when we do it the treatment needs to be up to Axiom's standards for
mathematical correctness.  Mathematica has a function dealing with it
but I'm not sure how their definition relates to the latest research.

It looks like the place to start would be the work of Laurent Schwartz.
 Apparently there are theoretical problems with multiplying
distributions.   Colombeau algebra may be of some interest there. 
Prime candidates for literate programs ;-).

Cheers,
CY


      
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