{
  "aliases": null,
  "backlinks": null,
  "body": "\n## Definition\n\nLet $n \\ge 1$ and let $H \\colon \\R^n \\times \\R^n \\to \\R$ be a continuous function, called the *Hamiltonian*.\nLet $T \\in (0, \\infty]$.\nThe *Hamilton–Jacobi equation* with Hamiltonian $H$ is the [[partial differential equation|GC5BDZ6QBC]]\n$$\\partial_t u + H(\\nabla u, x) = 0$$\nfor $u \\colon \\R^n \\times (0, T) \\to \\R$.\nHere $\\nabla u$ is the [[gradient|0ABK9V9Y64]] of $u$ in $x$.\nThe *stationary* Hamilton–Jacobi equation is $H(\\nabla u, x) = 0$ for $u$ defined on an open subset of $\\R^n$.\n\n## Remarks\n\nOften $H$ does not depend on $x$, and the equation reads $u_t + H(\\nabla u) = 0$, usually with an initial condition $u(x, 0) = g(x)$.\nIn mechanics the Hamiltonian also depends on time, and the equation is $\\partial_t S + H(\\nabla S, x, t) = 0$ for Hamilton's principal function $S$.\nThe [[Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equation|SJP9HW82VX]] of optimal control is a Hamilton–Jacobi equation whose Hamiltonian is an infimum or a supremum over controls.\n\nExample: $H(p, x) = \\tfrac12 \\abs{p}^2$ and $u(x, t) = \\dfrac{\\abs{x}^2}{2(t + 1)}$ for $t \u003e 0$.\nCheck: $\\partial_t u = -\\dfrac{\\abs{x}^2}{2(t + 1)^2}$ and $\\nabla u = \\dfrac{x}{t + 1}$, so $\\tfrac12 \\abs{\\nabla u}^2 = \\dfrac{\\abs{x}^2}{2(t + 1)^2}$ and the sum is $0$.\n\nNon-example: the heat equation $u_t - \\Delta u = 0$ is not a Hamilton–Jacobi equation, since it involves second derivatives of $u$.\nAdding a term $-\\varepsilon \\Delta u$ to a Hamilton–Jacobi equation gives a viscous approximation, whose limits as $\\varepsilon \\to 0$ lead to viscosity solutions.\n",
  "commit": "ff8a40749dc16545e3d2fc637f6b0196e81d0bfa",
  "front": {
    "defines": "5TRXQKP7DY",
    "kind": "definition",
    "msc": [
      "35F21",
      "70H20",
      "49L12"
    ],
    "name": "Hamilton–Jacobi equation",
    "sources": [
      {
        "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilton–Jacobi_equation"
      }
    ],
    "tag": "4H1E4KW1JX",
    "uses": [
      "GC5BDZ6QBC",
      "0ABK9V9Y64"
    ]
  },
  "kind": "definition",
  "link": "https://tamnd.github.io/math2/node/4H1E4KW1JX/",
  "links": [
    {
      "field": "defines",
      "target": "5TRXQKP7DY"
    },
    {
      "field": "uses",
      "target": "GC5BDZ6QBC"
    },
    {
      "field": "uses",
      "target": "0ABK9V9Y64"
    }
  ],
  "markdown": "https://tamnd.github.io/math2/node/4H1E4KW1JX.md",
  "msc": [
    "35F21",
    "70H20",
    "49L12"
  ],
  "name": "Hamilton–Jacobi equation",
  "prov": null,
  "role": "",
  "source": "https://github.com/tamnd/math2/blob/main/nodes/4H1/4H1E4KW1JX.md",
  "status": null,
  "tag": "4H1E4KW1JX",
  "uri": "m2://4H1E4KW1JX",
  "url": "https://tamnd.github.io/math2/wiki/hamilton-jacobi-equation-definition/",
  "writing": {
    "tag": "4H1E4KW1JX",
    "kind": "definition",
    "level": "W0",
    "next": [
      {
        "what": "a source with a locator",
        "have": 0,
        "want": 1
      }
    ]
  }
}
