Three-dimensional Green’s functions for a steady point heat source in a functionally graded half-space and some related problems

Three-dimensional Green’s functions are derived for a steady point heat source in a functionally graded half-space where the thermal conductivity varies exponentially along an arbitrary direction. We first introduce an auxiliary function which satisfies an inhomogeneous Helmholtz equation. Then by virtue of the image method which was first proposed by Sommerfeld for the homogeneous half-space Green’s function of a steady point heat source, we arrive at an explicit expression for this function. Finally with this auxiliary function, we derive the three-dimensional Green’s functions due to a steady point heat source in a functionally graded half-space. Also investigated in this paper are the temperature field induced by a point heat source moving at a constant speed in a functionally graded full-space; the electric potential due to a static point electric charge in a dielectric full-space with electric field gradient effects; and the two-dimensional time-harmonic dynamic Green’s function for homogeneous and functionally graded materials with strain gradient effects.