II

vV\ ~

~~~tv)

(kep" I C S

~~V'

N\)\}ft,d\~

6Mrl u.~~rtJ-toV\J>"

\I\h\tj

~e.A~~)

Angular Momentum in Spherical

Coordinates
In this appendix, we will show how to derive the expressions of the gradient v, the Laplacian
v2, and the components of the orbital angular momentum in spherical coordinates.

B.I

Derivation of Some General Relations

The Cartesian coordinates (x, y, z) of a vector r are related to its spherical polar coordinates
(r,e,cp)by
x

= r sine

cos

cp,

= r sine

sincp,

= r cose

(R1)

The orthonormal Cartesian basis (x, y, z) is related to its spherical counterpart (r, e, rp) by

=
=

r
r

sin e cos cp + e cos e cos cp -

rp sin cp

(B.2)

sin e sin cp + e cos e sin cp + rp cos cp,

e sin e.

(B.3)

r cas e -

(B.4)

Differentiating (RI), we obtain

sine cos cpdr

dy

=
=

dz

cosedr

dx

+ r cose
+ r cos e

sin e sin cpdr

cos cpde - r sine sincp dcp

sin cpde

+ r cos cpdcp,

(B.5)
(B.6)

(R7)

-rsinede.

Solving these equations for dr, de and d cp, we obtain

dr

sine cos cpdx

+ sine

1.
de
dcp

- cos e cos cpdx

r

= -

s~cp

r sme

sincp dy

dx

+ cos e dz

+ -r cos e sin cpdy

+ rco.scp
dy.
sme
633

(B.8)

1
- - sin e dz,
r

(B.9)
(RIO)

634

B. ANGULAR MOMENTUM IN SPHERICAL COORDINATES

We can verify that (B.5) to (B.I 0) lead to

ar

-ax =

sinBcosrp,

ar

..
smB smrp,

aB
ax
aB
~

ar

-az =

arp
sm rp
- - --.-,
ax
I' sm B
alp
cos rp
- = -.-,
~
rsmB
arp
- = 0,
az

I'

=-

sinrp cosB,

I'

ae
az

cosB,

-cosrpcosB,

I sinB,

= --I'

(B.ll)
(B.12)
(B.13)

which, in turn, yield

a

a ar
a ae
a arp
--+--+-ar ax
aB ax
arp ax

ax

=
a

(B.14)

--+--+-ar ay
ae ay
arp ay

ay

=
a
az

B.2

.
a
I
a
sin rp a
sm B cos rp- + - cos B cos rp- - --,
I'
aB
I' sin B aB
ar
a ar
a ae
a arp
.
a
I
a
cos rp a
sm B sin rp- + - cos B sin rp- + --ar
I'
aB
I' sin B arp,
sin B a
--a ar + --a ae + --a arp = cosB- a - ---.
ar az
aB az
arp az
ar
ar aB

(B.15)
(B.16)

Gradient and Laplacian in Spherical Coordinates

We can show that a combination of (B.14) to (B.16) allows us to express the operator V in
spherical coordinates:
~
~a
~a
\/=x-+y-+z-=r-+
ax
ay

Aa

Aa

az

BAla
--+rp--- A

ar

I'

aB

a
r sinB arp,

(B.17)

and also the Laplacian operator \/2

\/ =\/\/=
2

.~

1'-+--+--re aB
(~aar
a

r sinrp
~ arp
a)

. 1'-+--+--re aB
(A ar
a
a

r sinB
~ arp
a)

(B.18)

Now, using the relations

ap
aB
ar
arp
ap
8P

ae

= 0,
e,
~ sinB,

ar

= 0,

ae.
-aB

= -r,

ae
_

arp =rpcosB,

a~
-=0,
ar

(B.19)

= 0,

(B.20)

a~
aB

-a~ = -I'A' sm B

BAcos B

(B.21)

(B.22)

arp

we can show that the Laplacian operator reduces to

\/ = 2

1'2
I [aar (

r 2 ar
a )

+ ---

sinB
I ae
a (.

smBaB
a )

+ ----

sin2I e arp2
a2]

B.3. ANGULAR MOMENTUM IN SPHERICAL COORDINATES

B.3

635

Angular Momentum in Spherical Coordinates

The orbital angular momentum operator Z can be expressed in spherical coordinates as:

L=RxP=(-ilir)rxV=(-ilir)rx

[arar+;:-ae+rsinealp
ea
~

a]

(B.23)

or as

= -ili

(B.24)
(~ :e - si~e aalp).

Using (B.24) along with (B.2) to (BA), we express the components ix, Ly, Lz within the context of the spherical coordinates. For instance, the expression for Lx can be written as follows
Lx
A

= x.L=-irt
A

rsm
h

(A

COSlp+

cos

alp
= iIi (sin lp~ae + cote cos lp~)

coslp-lpsmlp

eA.

eA

. lp---.-ae
sme
(A
a
e alp
a)

(B.25)

Similarly, we can easily obtain

Ly

ix

From the expressions (B.25) and (B.26) for

L+

The expression for Z

=L
A

(B.28)

= lie-1'P

- iL
x

(B.27)

and L y, we infer, that

+ iLy = liez'P (a-ae + i cote- alp

a)

Lx

L_

(B.26)

ae + cote Sinlp~)
alp
ili (- cos lp~
a
-ili-.
alp

- i cote-

(aae

.
alp
a)

(B.29)

is
(B.30)

it can be easily written in terms of the spherical coordinates as

L = -Ii
.~ 2

--2 [

sine
1 ae
a (.

sme-

ae
a )

+ ---;
sin21 e alp2
a2]

(B.3l)

this expression was derived by substituting (B.22) into (B.30).

Note that, using the expression (B.30) for Z 2, we can rewrite V2 as

V2

r2
1 ar
a ( r 2 ar
a ) - li2r2
1 L~ 2

= -;;
r2 r
1 aa2

- li2r2
1 L~ 2 .

(B.32)