Class 6 in Electrodynamics

Based on course by Yuri Lyubarsky and Edited By Avry Shirakov

Department of Physics, Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel

This exercise pool is intended for an undergraduate course in “Electrodynamics 1”.

Magnetostatics with a boundary values

Maxwell eq. for a ”static” case are:

ρ
∇·E= Gauss’s law ; ∇ × E = µ0 J
0

∇ · B = 0 ; ∇ × B = µ0 J Ampere’s law

Since ∇ · B = 0 a vector potential can be defined in magtetostatics, A, such that:

B=∇×A

here we can add to the magnetic potential any function whose ∇ × f = 0 ,thus we can eliminate the div of A, ∇ · A = 0
and consequently we get the 3D Poissons eq.

∇2 A = −µ0 J

We can write (assuming J goes to zero at infinity)

J(r0 ) 0
Z
µ0
A(r) = dV so generally A k J
4π V 0 r
1
Generally the Green Function G(r, r0 ) = can be written (as you already know),
||r − r0 ||
∞  n
1 1 X r0
= Pn (cos(θ0 ))
||r − r0 || r n=0 r

∞ X
l l
1 X 4π r<
= Y ∗ (θ0 , φ0 )Ylm (θ, φ)
l+1 lm
||r − r0 || 2l + 1 r>
l=0 m=−l

while
 
R r>R r r>R
r< = and for r> =
r r<R R r<R

and general relation of the spherical harmonic functions

Z
∗
Ylm (θ0 , φ0 )Yij (θ0 , φ0 ) sin(θ0 )dθ0 dφ0 = δli δmj

Another way to approach problems in magneto-statics: if J = 0 except the boundary, ∇ × B = 0 there exist a scalar
potential Φm so that B = −∇Φm. This is similar solution to electrostatics, with the boundary conditions:
⊥ ⊥
B> = B<

k k
B> − B< = µK while B k ⊥ K

Problem 0311
 2

A thick slab extending from z = −a to z = a carries a uniform volume current J~ = J x̂. Find the magnetic field as a
function of z using vector potential. We start at the −a < z < a range, so the J = J0 x̂ and at this range we have

∇2 A = −µ0 J

by choosing A k J the eq. becomes

∇2 Ax = −µ0 J0

Since B = ∇ × A and we choose A = Ax , the magnetic field can be written as

0 · x̂ + ∂zAx ŷ − ∂yAx ẑ = B

here we will set the magnetic field to be in the y direction,as a result Ax is only z dependant (that the derivative
won’t be zero).

d2 d2 d2
A x (z) + A x (z) + Ax (z) = Jx
dx2 dy 2 dz 2

d2 −µ0 Jx z 2
A x (z) = Jx ; general solution → A x (z) = + C1 z + C2
dz 2 2
while outside z > a range the solution is Ax (z) = C3 z + C4 . Now we should find all the constants.
1. Ax is continues at z = a:

−µ0 Jx a2
+ C1 a + C2 = C3 a + C4
2
2. Continuousness of A0x at z = a:

−µ0 J0 a + C1 = C2

3. From the geometry of the problem we can see that B(z = 0) = 0, this implies that C1 = 0.

C3 = −µ0 J0 a

µ0 J0 a2
C4 − C4 =
2
we are left with two equations and 3 constants, we gauge Ax (z = a) = 0, this implies C2 = 0 and we are done. The
last constant is
µ0 J0 a2
C4 =
2
We can write the vector potential Ax :

µ0 J0 a2
−µ0 J0 az + a<z



 2
µ0 J0 z 2

Ax (z) = − −a < z < a

 2 2
 µ0 J0 az + µ0 J0 a


 z < −a
2
(here we applied same procedure for the z < −a range).
The magnetic field out of this vector potential is (B = ∂z Ax (z)ŷ)

−µ0 J0 a · ŷ a<z
B = −µ0 J0 z · ŷ −a < z < a
 µ J a · ŷ z < −a
0 0
 3

Problem 0312

A spherical shell of radius R, carrying a uniform surface charge σ is set spinning at angular velocity ω. Find the
vector potential it produces at point r. We will solve this question in 3 different ways.
Stating from the Poisson’s eq. for vector potential

∇2 A = −µ0 J

we let the r lie on the z axis, so that ω is tilted at angle ψ, moreover we may make the orientation of x so that ω lies
in the xz plane. According to
K(r0 )
Z
µ0
A(r) = da0
4π a0 ||r − r0 ||
p
where K = σv, ||r − r0 || = R2 + r2 − 2Rr cos(θ0 ) and da0 = R2 sin(θ0 )dθ0 dφ0 . The velocity of a point (r0 ) is ω × r0
in this case
 
x̂ ŷ ẑ
v = ω × r0 = det  ω sin(ψ) 0 ω cos(ψ) 
R sin(θ ) cos(φ ) R sin(θ ) sin(φ ) R cos(θ0 )
0 0 0 0

= Rω [− (cos(ψ) sin(θ0 ) sin(φ0 )) x̂ − (sin(ψ) cos(θ0 ) − cos(ψ) sin(θ0 ) cos(φ0 )) ŷ + (sin(ψ) sin(θ0 ) sin(φ0 )) ẑ]

Notice that each term that has sin(φ0 ) or cos(φ0 ) equals to zero since:
Z 2π Z 2π
0 0
sin(φ )dφ = cos(φ0 )dφ0 = 0
0 0

Just one term survives, and we can write the integral as

!
π
µ0 R3 σω sin(ψ) cos(θ0 ) sin(θ0 )
Z
A(r) = − p dθ0 ŷ
2 0 R2 + r2 − 2Rr cos(θ0 )

defining u = cos(θ0 ) the integral becomes

Z 1

u R2 + r2 + Rru p 2
√ du = − 2 r2
R + r2 − 2Rri|1−1
−1 R 2 + r 2 − 2Rru 3R

1  2
R + r2 + Rr |R − r| − R2 + r2 − Rr (R + r)



=− 2 2
3R r
If r lies inside the sphere R > r and the above expression reduces to (2r/3R2 ), if r lies outside the sphere R < r it
reduces to (2R/3r2 ).

− µ0 Rσω sin(ψ)r R > r

A(r) = 4
3
− µ0 R σω sin(ψ) R < r

3r2
Noting that ω × r = −ωr sin(ψ)ŷ, we rewrite A(r),

µ Rσ
 0
 (ω × r) R > r
A(r) = µ R 34
 0 σ (ω × r) R < r

3r3
The second way to solve this problem is by using Legandre polynomials. Everywhere, except r = R, J = 0. Therefore
∇ × B = µ0 J = 0, in this case, there is a scalar potential Φm so that B = −∇Φm and ∇B = ∇2 Φm = 0. Now we are
left with applying the appropriate boundary values:
1. Physical behaviour on the boundaries.
 4

⊥ ⊥ k k
2. B> = B< and B> − B< = µK
In our case K = σv = σωR sin(θ)φ̂.
The general solution is of the form:
X Bn

Φ(r) = An rn + n+1 Pn (cos(θ))
n
r

Applying the first condition,

X Bn
Φ> (r) = Pn (cos(θ)); for outside the sphere r > R
n
rn+1

X
Φ< (r) = (An rn Pn (cos(θ)); for inside the sphere r < R
n

∂Φ
and the second one B⊥ =
∂r
∂Φ> ∂Φ<
|r=R − |r=R = 0
∂r ∂r

 
Bn n−1
−(n + 1) n+2 − nAn R Pn (cos(θ)) = 0
R
1 ∂Φ
Bk = Bθ =
r ∂θ
1 ∂Φ> 1 ∂Φ<
| +− | − = µ0 σωR sin(θ)
r ∂θ R r ∂θ R
noting that K ≈ cos(θ) therefore n = 1 and
B1
sin(θ) − A1 sin(θ) = µ0 σωR sin(θ)
R3

 
B1 2B1
−2 3 − A1 cos(θ) = 0 so A1 = − 3
R R

µ0 σωR4 2µ0 σωR

and B1 = and as a consequence A1 = − The scalar vector potential is:
3 3
4

 µ0 σωR cos(θ) r > R

3r 2
Φ(r) =
− 2µ0 σωRr cos(θ) r < R

3
∂Φm 1 ∂Φm
Now if we want to find the magnetic field B we should use B = −∇Φm which at this case is r̂ + θ̂ so, ..
∂r r ∂θ
4 

 µ0 σωR 2 cos(θ)r̂ + sin(θ)θ̂ r > R


3r 3
B(r) =
 2µ0 σωR cos(θ)r̂ − sin(θ)θ̂
 
r<R

3
The third way to solve this problem is through Spherical Harmonic polynomials. As mentioned at the beginning, we
can write the Green function as
∞ X
l l
1 X 4π r<
= Y ∗ (θ0 , φ0 )Ylm (θ, φ)
0
||r − r || 2l + 1 r> lm
l+1
l=0 m=−l
 5

and then plug it into the eq.

K(r0 )ds0
Z
µ0
A(r) =
4π ||r − r0 ||

as at the previous solutions K = σv = σωR sin(θ)φ̂ but now we expand the φ̂ into x̂ and ŷcoordinates, K =
σωR sin(θ) [− sin(φ)x̂ + cos(φ)ŷ]
1
(ix̂ + ŷ)eiφ + (−ix̂ + ŷ)e−iφ

[− sin(φ)x̂ + cos(φ)ŷ] =
2
r
1 3
Now we should write K in the Ylm expansion, we remember that Y11 = − sin(θ)eiφ and Y1−1 =
r 2 2π
1 3
sin(θ)e−iφ
2 2π
" r ! r !#
σωR sin(θ)  iφ −iφ
 σωR sin(θ) 2 2π 2 2π
K= (ix̂ + ŷ)e + (−ix̂ + ŷ)e = (ix̂ + ŷ) − Y11 + (−ix̂ + ŷ) Y1−1
2 2 sin(θ) 3 sin(θ) 3

r
2π
= σωR [−(ix̂ + ŷ)Y11 + (−ix̂ + ŷ)Y1−1 ]
3
applying this into vector potential integral
r Z XX l
2π µ0 4π r<
A= σωR Y ∗ (θ0 , φ0 )Ylm (θ, φ) [−(ix̂ + ŷ)Y11 (θ0 , φ0 ) + (−ix̂ + ŷ)Y1−1 (θ0 , φ0 )] R2 sin(θ0 )dθ0 dφ0
l+1 lm
3 4π m
2l + 1 r >
l

for r < R, A is
r
rl
Z
2π µ0 X X 4π
= σωR l+1
Ylm (θ, φ) [−(ix̂ + ŷ)Y11 (θ0 , φ0 ) + (−ix̂ + ŷ)Y1−1 (θ0 , φ0 )] Ylm
∗
(θ0 , φ0 )R2 sin(θ0 )dθ0 dφ0
3 4π m
2l + 1 R
l

the result of the integral is (here we used Spherical Harmonics polynomials properties)
R2 [−(ix̂ + ŷ)δl1 δm1 + (−ix̂ + ŷ)δl1 δm−1 ]

r
2π µ0 4π r 2
A(r < R) = σωR R [−(ix̂ + ŷ)Y11 (θ, φ) + (−ix̂ + ŷ)Y1−1 (θ, φ)]
3 4π 3 R2
writing it back in the θ, φ terms
σωRrµ0 σωRrµ0
A(r < R) = sin(θ) [− sin(φ)x̂ + cos(θ)ŷ] = sin(θ)φ̂
3 3
l
r< R
and for the case r > R the only difference is in the l+1
term, which in this case (l = 1) is 2 , so
r> r

σωR4 µ0
A(r > R) = sin(θ)φ̂
3r2
to find B we should imply ∇ × A.
1 ∂ 1 ∂
∇A = Aφ r̂ − (rAφ )θ̂
r sin(θ) ∂θ r ∂r

4 

 µ0 σωR 2 cos(θ)r̂ + sin(θ)θ̂ r > R


B(r) = 3r3
2µ 0 σωR
 
cos(θ)r̂ − sin(θ)θ̂ r<R


3