Solutions to Problems in Jackson,

Classical Electrodynamics, Third Edition

Homer Reid
February 11, 2001

Chapter 5: Problems 10-18

Problem 5.10

A circular current loop of radius a carrying a current I lies in the x − y plane with
its center at the origin.
(a) Show that the only nonvanishing component of the vector potential is

µ0 Ia ∞
Z
Aφ (ρ, z) = dk cos kz I1 (kρ< )K1 (kρ> )
π 0

where ρ< (ρ> ) is the smaller (larger) of a and ρ.

(b) Show that an alternative expression for Aφ is

µ0 Ia ∞
Z
Aφ (ρ, z) = dke−k|z| J1 (ka)J1 (kρ).
2 0

(c) Write down integral expressions for the components of magnetic induction,
using the expressions of parts a and b. Evaluate explicitly the components of
B on the z axis by performing the necessary integrations.

(a) Translating Jackson’s equation (5.33) into cylindrical coordinates, we have

Jφ = Iδ(z)δ(ρ − a) (1)

Following Jackson, we take the observation point x on the x axis, so its coordi-
nates are (ρ, φ = 0, z). Since there is no current in the z direction, and since the

1
Homer Reid’s Solutions to Jackson Problems: Chapter 5 2

current density is cylindrically symmetric, there is no vector potential in the ρ

or z directions. In the φ direction we have

Aφ = −Ax sin φ + Ay cos φ = Ay

µ0 Jy (x0 )
Z
= dx0
4π |x − x0 |
µ0 Jφ (x0 ) cos φ0 0
Z
= dx
4π |x − x0 |
0
µ0 Jφ (x0 )eiφ
Z
= Re dx0
4π |x − x0 |
∞
" Z ∞ #
µ0 2
Z X
0 0
= Re Jφ (x0 )eiφ eim(φ−φ ) cos[k(z − z 0 )]Im (kρ< )Km (kρ> ) dk dx0
4π π m=−∞ 0

where we substituted in Jackson’s equation (3.148). Rearranging the order of

integration and remembering that φ = 0, we have
∞ Z ∞ Z 
µ0 X
0 i(1−m)φ0 0 0
Aφ = Re Jφ (x )e cos[k(z − z )]Im (kρ< )Km (kρ> )dx dk
2π 2 m=−∞ 0

If m = 1, the φ integral yields 2π; otherwise it vanishes. Thus

µ0 ∞
Z Z ∞ Z ∞ 
Aφ = Jφ (r0 , z 0 ) cos[k(z − z 0 )]I1 (kρ< )K1 (kρ> )ρ0 dz 0 dr0 dk
π 0 0 −∞

Substituting (1), we have

∞
Iaµ0
Z
Aφ = cos kz I1 (kρ< )K1 (kρ> ) dk.
π 0

(b) The procedure for obtaining this expression is identical to the one I just
went through, but with the expression from Problem 3.16(b) used for the Green’s
function instead of equation (3.148).
(c) Let’s suppose that the observation point is in the interior region of the
current loop, so ρ< = ρ, ρ> = a. Then
∂Aφ
Bρ = [∇ × A]ρ = −
∂z
Iaµ0 ∞
Z
=− k sin kz I1 (kρ)K1 (ka) dk
π 0
1 ∂Aφ
Bz = [∇ × A]z = Aφ +
ρ ∂ρ
Iaµ0 ∞
 
I1 (kρ)
Z
0
= cos kz + kI1 (kρ) K1 (ka) dk
π 0 ρ
Homer Reid’s Solutions to Jackson Problems: Chapter 5 3

As ρ = 0, I1 (ρ) → 0, I1 (ρ)/ρ → 1/2, and I10 (ρ) → 1/2, so

Bρ (ρ = 0) = 0
Iaµ0 ∞
Z
Bz (ρ = 0) = k cos kzK1 (ka) dk
π 0
Z ∞
Iaµ0 ∂
= sin kzK1 (ka)dk
π ∂z 0

The integral may be done by parts:

Z ∞ ∞
z ∞

 1
Z

sin kzK1 (kz) dk = − sin kzK0 (ka) +
 cos kzK0 (ka) dk
0 a 0 a 0

K0 is finite at zero but sin vanishes there, and sin is finite at infinity but K0
vanishes there, so the first term vanishes. The integral in the second term is
Jackson’s equation (3.150). Plugging it in to the above,

Iµ0 ∂ z
Bz (ρ = 0) =
2 ∂z (z + a2 )1/2
2

Iµ0 a2
= .
2 (z 2 + a2 )3/2

Problem 5.11

A circular loop of wire carrying a current I is located with its center at the origin
of coordinates and the normal to its plane having spherical angles θ0 , φ0 . There is
an applied magnetic field, Bx = B0 (1 + βy) and By = B0 (1 + βx).
(a) Calculate the force acting on the loop without making any approximations.
Compare your result with the approximate result (5.69). Comment.
(b) Calculate the torque in lowest order. Can you deduce anything about the higher
order contributions? Do they vanish for the circular loop? What about for
other shapes?

(a) Basically we’re dealing with two different reference frames here. In the “lab”
frame, R, the magnetic field exists only in the xy plane, and the normal to the
current loop has angles θ0 , φ0 . We define the “rotated” frame R0 by aligning
the z 0 axis with the normal to the current loop, so that in R0 the current loop
exists only in the x0 y 0 plane, but the magnetic field now has a z 0 component.
The force on the current loop is
Z
F = (J × B)dV. (2)
 Homer Reid’s Solutions to Jackson Problems: Chapter 5 4
PSfrag replacements

z1 = z z1

θ0
z0

y1 y 0 = y1

x φ0 y x1
x1
x0

R → R1 R1 → R 0

Figure 1: Successive coordinate transformations in Problem 5.11.

The components of J are easy to express in R0 , but more complicated in R; the

opposite is true for B. There are two ways to do the problem: we can work out
the components of J in R and do the integral in R, or we can work out the
components of B in R0 and do the integral in R0 , in which case we would have
to transform the components of the force back to R to get the answer we desire.
I think the former approach is easier.
To derive the transformation matrix relating the coordinates of a point in R
and R0 , I imagined that the transformation arose from two separate transforma-
tions, as depicted in figure (??). The first transformation is a rotation through
φ0 around the z axis, which takes us from R to an intermediate frame R1 . Then
we rotate through θ0 around the y1 axis, which takes us to R0 . Evidently, the
coordinates of a point in the various frames are related by
    
x1 cos φ0 sin φ0 0 x
 y1  =  − sin φ0 cos φ0 0   y  (3)
z1 0 0 1 z
 0    
x cos θ0 0 − sin θ0 x1
 y0  =  0 1 0   y1  (4)
z0 sin θ0 0 cos θ0 z1
Multiplying matrices,
 0    
x cos θ0 cos φ0 cos θ0 sin φ0 − sin θ0 x
 y 0  =  − sin φ0 cos φ0 0  y . (5)
z0 sin θ0 cos φ0 sin θ0 sin φ0 cos θ0 z

This matrix also gives us the transformation between unit vectors in the two
Homer Reid’s Solutions to Jackson Problems: Chapter 5 5

frames:
î0
    
cos θ0 cos φ0 cos θ0 sin φ0 − sin θ0 î
 ĵ0  =  − sin φ0 cos φ0 0   ĵ  . (6)
k̂0 sin θ0 cos φ0 sin θ0 sin φ0 cos θ0 k̂
We will also the inverse transformation, i.e. the expressions for coordinates in
R in terms of coordinates in R0 :
    0 
x cos θ0 cos φ0 − sin φ0 sin θ0 cos φ0 x
 y  =  cos θ0 sin φ0 cos φ0 sin θ0 sin φ0   y 0  . (7)
z − sin θ0 0 cos θ0 z0
To do the integral in (2) it’s convenient to parameterize a point on the
current loop by an angle φ0 reckoned from the x0 axis in R0 . If the loop radius
is a, then the coordinates of a point on the loop are x0 = a cos φ0 , y 0 = a sin φ0 ,
and the current density/volume element product is
J dV = Id l = (Ia dφ0 )φ̂0
= Ia dφ0 [− sin φ0 î0 + cos φ0 ĵ0 ]
h
= Ia dφ0 (− sin φ0 cos θ0 cos φ0 − cos φ0 sin φ0 )î
i
+ (sin φ0 sin φ0 + cos φ0 cos φ0 )ĵ + (sin φ0 sin θ0 )k̂

We also need the components of the B field at a point on the current loop:
B(φ0 ) = B0 [1 + βy(φ0 )]î + B0 [1 + βx(φ0 )]
= B0 [1 + aβ(cos φ0 cos θ0 sin φ0 + sin φ0 cos φ0 )]î + B0 [1 + aβ(cos φ0 cos θ0 cos φ0 − sin φ0 sin φ0 )]ĵ
The components of the cross product are
[J × B]x dV = −Jz By dV
= (· · · )βIa2 B0 dφ0 sin2 φ0 sin θ0 sin φ0

[J × B]y dV = Jz Bx dV
= (· · · ) + βIa2 B0 dφ0 sin2 φ0 sin θ0 cos φ0

[J × B]z dV = (Jx By − Jy Bx ) dV
= (· · · ) + 0

where we only wrote out terms containing a factor of cos2 φ0 or sin2 φ0 , since only
these terms survive after the integral around the current loop (we grouped all
the remaining terms into (· · · )). In the surviving terms, cos2 φ0 and sin2 φ0 turn
into factors of π after the integral around the loop. Then the force components
are
Fx = πβIa2 B0 sin θ0 sin φ0
Fy = πβIa2 B0 sin θ0 cos φ0
Fz = 0.
Homer Reid’s Solutions to Jackson Problems: Chapter 5 6

To compare this with the first-order approximate result, note that the magnetic
moment has magnitude πa2 I and is oriented along the z 0 axis:
 
m = πa2 I k̂0 = πa2 I sin θ0 cos φ0 î + sin θ0 sin φ0 ĵ + cos θ0 k̂

so



∇ B · m = ∇ B0 (1 + βy)mx + B0 (1 + βx)my


= B0 β my î + mx ĵ
= πβIa2 B0 sin θ0 sin φ0 î + sin θ0 cos φ0 ĵ)

in exact agreement with the result we calculated so laboriously above.

Problem 5.12

Two concentric circular loops of radii a, b and currents I, I 0 , respectively (b < a),
have an angle α between their planes. Show that the torque on one of the loops
is about the line of intersection of the two planes containing the loops and has the
magnitude
∞ 2  2n
µ0 πII 0 b2 X (n + 1)

Γ(n + 3/2) b 1
N= P2n+1 (cos α).
2a n=0
(2n + 1) Γ(n + 2)Γ(3/2) a

The torque on the smaller loop is

Z  
N = r × Jb (r) × Ba (r) dr
Z n o
   
= r · Ba (r) Jb (r) − r · Jb (r) Ba (r) dr.

where Jb is the current density of the smaller loop and Ba is the magnetic field
of the larger loop. But r · Jb vanishes, because the current flows in a circle
around the origin—there is no current flowing toward or away from the origin.
Thus Z
N = rBr (r)Jb (r)dr (8)

where Br is the radial component of the magnetic field of the larger current
loop.
As in the last problem, it’s convenient to define two reference frames for this
situation. Let R be the frame in which the smaller loop (radius b, current I)
lies in the xy plane, and R0 the frame in which the larger loop lies in the x0 y 0
plane. We might as well take the line of intersection of the two planes to be the
y axis, so y = y 0 . Then the z 0 axis has spherical coordinates (θ = α, φ = 0) in
Homer Reid’s Solutions to Jackson Problems: Chapter 5 7

R, and for transforming back and forth between the two frames we may use the
transformation matrices we derived in the last problem, with θ0 = α, φ0 = 0. If
we choose to evaluate the integral (8) in frame R, the current density is
 
Jb (r) = Iδ(r − b)δ(θ − π/2) − sin φî + cos φĵ

so the components of the torque are

Z 2π
2
Nx = −Ib Br (r = b, θ = π/2, φ) sin φ dφ (9)
0
Z 2π
Ny = Ib2 Br (r = b, θ = π/2, φ) cos φ dφ (10)
0

To do the integral in (8), we need an expression for the radial component Br

of the field of the larger loop. Of course, we already have an expression for the
field in R0 : in that frame the field is just that of a circular current loop in the
x0 y 0 plane, Jackson’s equation (5.48):
∞ 2l+1
µ0 I 0 a X (−1)l (2l + 1)!! r<
Br0 (r0 , θ0 ) = P
2l+2 2l+1
(cos θ0 ).
2r0 2l l! r>
l=0

We are interested in evaluating this field at points along the smaller current
loop, and for all such points r = b; then r< = b, r> = a and we have
∞  2l
µ0 I 0 X (−1)l (2l + 1)!! b
Br0 (r0 = b, θ0 ) = P2l+1 (cos θ0 ). (11)
2a 2l l! a
l=0

To transform this to frame R, we first note that, since the origins of R and R0
coincide, the unit vectors r̂ and r̂0 coincide, so Br = Br0 . Next, (11) expresses
the field in terms of cos θ 0 , the polar angle in frame R0 . How do we write this
in terms of the angles θ and φ in frame R? Well, note that

z0
cos θ0 =
r
x sin α + z cos α
=
r
r sin θ cos φ sin α + r cos θ cos α
=
r
= sin θ sin α cos φ + cos θ cos α (12)

where in the second line we used the transformation matrix from Problem 5.11
to write down z 0 in terms of x and z. Equation (12) is telling us what our
coordinates in R0 are in terms of our coordinates in R; if a point has angular
coordinates θ, φ in R, then (12) tells us what angle θ 0 it has in R0 . (We could
also work out what the azimuthal angle φ0 would be, but we don’t need to,
because (11) doesn’t depend on φ0 .)
Homer Reid’s Solutions to Jackson Problems: Chapter 5 8

To express the Legendre function in (11) with the argument (12), we may
make use of the addition theorem for associated Legendre polynomials:
Pl (cos θ0 ) = Pl (cos θ cos α + sin θ sin α cos φ)
l
X
= Pl (cos θ)Pl (cos α) + 2 Plm (cos θ)Plm (cos α) cos mφ.
m=1

Of course, the smaller loop exists in the xy plane, so for all points on that loop
we have θ = π/2, whence
l
X
Pl (cos θ0 ) = Pl (0)Pl (cos α) + 2 Plm (0)Plm (cos θ) cos mφ.
m=1

We may now write down an expression for the radial component of the magnetic
field of the larger loop, evaluated at points on the smaller loop, in terms of the
angle φ that goes from 0 to 2π around that loop:
∞  2l (
µ0 I 0 X (−1)l (2l + 1)!! b
Br (φ) = P2l+1 (0)P2l+1 (cos α)
2a 2l l! a
l=0
2l+1
)
X
m m
+2 P2l+1 (0)P2l+1 (cos α) cos mφ .
m=1

This looks ugly, but in fact when we plug it into the integrals (9) and (10)
the sin φ and cos φ terms beat against the cos mφ term, integrating to 0 in the
former case and πδm1 in the latter. The torque is

Nx = 0
∞  2l
πµ0 II 0 b2 X (−1)l (2l + 1)!! b 1 1
Ny = P2l+1 (0)P2l+1 (cos α).
a 2l l! a
l=0

To finish we just need to rewrite the numerical factor under the sum:
(−1)l (2l + 1)!! 1
 
(2l + 1)!! Γ(l + 3/2)
P2l+1 (0) =
2l l! 2l l! Γ(l + 1)Γ(3/2)
 
(2l + 3 − 2)(2l + 3 − 4)(2l + 3 − 6) · · · (5)(3) Γ(l + 3/2)
=
2l Γ(l + 1) Γ(l + 1)Γ(3/2)
 
(l + 3/2 − 1)(l + 3/2 − 2) · · · (5/2)(3/2) Γ(l + 3/2)
=
Γ(l + 1) Γ(l + 1)Γ(3/2)
 2
Γ(l + 3/2)
=
Γ(l + 1)Γ(3/2)
 2
2 Γ(l + 3/2)
= (l + 1)
Γ(l + 2)Γ(3/2)
Homer Reid’s Solutions to Jackson Problems: Chapter 5 9

So my answer is
∞ 2  2l
πµ0 II 0 b2 X

2 Γ(l + 3/2) b 1
Ny = (l + 1) P2l+1 (cos α).
a Γ(l + 2)Γ(3/2) a
l=0

Evidently I’m off by a factor of 1/(l + 1)(2l + 1) under the sum, but I can’t find
where. Can anybody help?

Problem 5.13

A sphere of radius a carries a uniform surface-charge distribution σ. The sphere

is rotated about a diameter with constant angular velocity ω. Find the vector
potential and magnetic-flux density both inside and outside the sphere.

Problem 5.14

A long, hollow, right circular cylinder of inner (outer) radius a (b), and of relative
permeability µr , is placed in a region of initially uniform magnetic-flux density B0
at right angles to the field. Find the flux density at all points in space, and sketch
the logarithm of the ratio of the magnitudes of B on the cylinder axis to B0 as a
function of log10 µr for a2 /b2 = 0.5, 0.1. Neglect end effects.

We’ll take the cylinder axis as the z axis of our coordinate system, and we’ll
take B0 along the x axis: B0 = B0 î. To the extent that we ignore end effects,
we may imagine the fields to have no z dependence, so we effectively have a two
dimensional problem.
There are two distinct current distributions in this problem. The first is
a current distribution Jfree giving rise to the uniform field B0 far away from
the cylinder; this current distribution is only nonvanishing at points outside the
cylinder. The second is a current distribution Jbound = ∇ × M existing only
within the cylinder. Since there is no free current within the cylinder or in its
inner region, the equations determining H in those regions are

∇ · B = ∇ · (µH) = 0, ∇ × H = Jfree = 0.

These imply that, within the cylinder and in its inner region, we may derive H
from a scalar potential: H = −∇Φm , with Φm satisfying the Laplace equation.
In the external region, there is free current, so things are not so simple. To
proceed we may separate the H field in the external region into two compo-
nents: one that arises from the free current, and one that arises from the bound
currents within the cylinder. The former is just (1/µ0 )B0 and the second is
again derivable from a scalar potential satisfying the Laplace equation. So, in
the external region, H = (1/µ0 )B0 − ∇Φm .
Homer Reid’s Solutions to Jackson Problems: Chapter 5 10

So our task is to find expressions for Φm in the three regions such that the
boundary conditions on B and H are satisfied at the borders of the regions.
Writing down the solutions of the 2-D Laplace equation in the three regions,
and excluding terms which blow up as ρ → 0 or ρ → ∞, we have
P
∞ n
 
Pn=1 ρ n A n cos nφ + Bn sin nφ r<a


∞ o
ρn Cn cos nφ + Dn sin nφ + ρ−n En cos nφ + Fn sin nφ
  
Φm (ρ, φ) = n=1 a<r<b

P∞ ρ−n G cos nφ + H sin nφ

r>b
n=1 n n

Actually, we may argue on symmetry grounds that the sin terms must all
vanish: otherwise, the fields would take different values on the positive and
negative y axes, but there is nothing in the problem distinguishing these axes
from each other. With this simplification we may write down expressions for
the components of the H field in the three regions:

∞

∂ X
−nAn ρn−1 cos nφ,


 − Φm = r<a
∂r


n=1



∞


 ∂ X  
Hr = − Φm = −n Cn ρn−1 − En ρ−(n+1) cos nφ, a<r<b

 ∂r n=1

∞



 ∂ h X
−(n+1)
i
(1/µ )B − Φ = (1/µ )B cos φ + nG ρ cos nφ , r < b.

 0 0r m 0 0 n
∂r


n=1

∞

∂ X
nAn ρn−1 sin nφ,


 − Φm = r<a
∂φ


n=1



∞


 ∂ X  
Hφ = − Φm = n Cn ρn−1 + En ρ−(n+1) sin nφ, a<r<b

 ∂φ n=1

∞



 ∂ h X
−(n+1)
i
(1/µ )B − Φ = − (1/µ )B sin φ + nG ρ sin nφ , r < b.

0 0φ m 0 0 n

∂φ


n=1

The boundary conditions at r = b are that µHρ and Hφ be continuous,

where µ = µ0 outside the cylinder and µr µ0 inside. With the above expressions
for the components of H, we have
∞ ∞
1 X X  
B0 cos φ + nGn b−(n+1) cos nφ = µr −n Cn bn−1 − En b−(n+1) cos nφ
µ0 n=1 n=1
∞ ∞
1 X X  
− B0 sin φ + nGn b−(n+1) sin nφ = n Cn bn−1 + En b−(n+1) sin nφ.
µ0 n=1 n=1

We may multiply both sides of these by cos nφ and sin nφ and integrate from
Homer Reid’s Solutions to Jackson Problems: Chapter 5 11

0 to 2π to find
1
B0 + G1 b−2 = −µr C1 + µr E1 b−2 (13)
µ0
 
Gn b−(n+1) = −µr Cn bn−1 − En b−(n−1) , n 6= 1 (14)
1
− B0 + G1 b−2 = C1 + E1 b−2 (15)
µ0
 
Gn b−(n+1) = Cn bn−1 + En b−(n+1) , n 6= 1 (16)

Similarly, at r = a we obtain

A1 = µr C1 − µr E1 a−2 (17)
 
An an−1 = µr Cn an−1 − En a−(n+1) , n 6= 1
A1 = C1 + E1 a−2 (18)
 
An an−1 = Cn an−1 + En a−(n+1) , n 6= 1.
(19)

For n 6= 1, the only solution turns out to be An = Cn = En = Gn = 0. For

n = 1, multiplying (15) by µr and adding and subtracting with (13) yields
B0
2µr C1 = −(µr + 1) + (µr − 1)G1 b−2 (20)
µ0
B0 2
2µr E1 = (1 − µr ) b + (µr + 1)G1 . (21)
µ0
On the other hand, multiplying (18) by µr and adding and subtracting with
(17) yields

2µr C1 = (µr + 1)A1 (22)

2
2µr E1 = (µr − 1)a A1 . (23)

Equating (20) with (22), we find

B0 (µr − 1)
A1 = − + G1 b−2
µ0 (µr + 1)

while equating (21) with (23) yields

B 0 b2
 
(µr + 1)
A1 = − + G1 a−2
µ0 a 2 (µr − 1)
and now equating these two equations gives

(µ2r − 1)b2
  a 2   
B0
G1 = 1 − 2 2 2 2
b2 .
b (µr + 1) b − (µr − 1) a µ0
 frag replacements
Homer Reid’s Solutions to Jackson Problems: Chapter 5 12

-0.5 (a/b) = 0.5

(a/b) = 0.1
-1

-1.5

log10 r
-2

-2.5

-3

-3.5

-4

-4.5
0 1 2 3 4 5
log10 µr
Figure 2: Damping of field inside cylindrical cylinder of permeability µr .

The other coefficients may be worked out from this one:

−4µr b2 B0
A1 = 2 2 2 2
(µr + 1) b − (µr − 1) a µ0
−2(µr + 1)b2 B0
C1 = 2 2 2 2
(µr + 1) b − (µr − 1) a µ0
−2(µr − 1)b2 B0 2
E1 = 2 2 2 2
a .
(µr + 1) b − (µr − 1) a µ0

The H field is
4µr b2 B0
H= î, r<a
(µr + 1)2 b2
− (µr − 1)2 a2 µ0
2b2 B 0 n  a 2   a 2 o
= 2 2 2 2
(µr + 1) + (µr − 1) î − 2(µr − 1) cos φr̂ , a < r < b
(µr + 1) b − (µr − 1) a µ0 r r
2 2 2
  2
B0 (b − a )(µr − 1) B0 b  
= î + î + 2 sin φ φ̂ , r > b.
µ (µr + 1)2 b2 − (µr − 1)2 a2 µ0 r2

The ratio r of the field within the cylinder to the external field is
4µr
r= 2 .
(µr + 1)2 − (µr − 1)2 ab2

This relationship is graphed in Figure

Homer Reid’s Solutions to Jackson Problems: Chapter 5 13

Problem 5.16

A circular loop of wire of radius a and negligible thickness carries a current I. The
loop is centered in a spherical cavity of radius b > a in a large block of soft iron.
Assume that the relative permeability of the iron is effectively infinite and that of
the medium in the cavity, unity.
(a) In the approximation of b  a, show that the magnetic field at the center of
the loop is augmented by a factor (1 + a3 /2b3 ) by the presence of the iron.
(b) What is the radius of the ”image” current loop (carrying the same current)
that simulates the effect of the iron for r < b?

(a) There are two distinct current distributions in this problem: the free current
density J1 flowing in the loop, and the bound current density J2 flowing in the
iron. These give rise to two fields B1 and B2 , which must be summed at each
point in space to get the observed field.
B1 is just the field of a planar current loop, which Jackson has already
worked out for us in his section 5.5:
 ∞
µ0 I X (−1)n (2n + 1)!!  r 2n
P2n+1 (cos θ), r < a


2n n!


 2a n=0 a
B1r = ∞ (24)
 µ0 Ia2 X (−1)n (2n + 1)!!  a 2n
P2n+1 (cos θ), r > a.


 2r3

2n n! r
n=0

 ∞
µ0 I X (−1)n (2n − 1)!!  r 2n 1
P2n+1 (cos θ), r < a


2n−1 n!


 4a n=0 a
B1θ = ∞ (25)
 µ0 Ia2 X (−1)n (2n + 1)!!  a 2n 1
 − 4r3 P2n+1 (cos θ), r > a.


2n (n + 1)!

n=0
r

On the other hand, since J2 vanishes for r < b, the field B2 to which it gives
rise has no divergence or curl in that region, which means that throughout the
region it may be derived from a scalar potential satisfying the Laplace equation:
"∞ #
X
B2 = −∇Φm = −∇ An rn Pn (cos θ)
n=0
∞
X
→ B2r = nAn rn−1 Pn (cos θ) (26)
n=1
X∞
B2θ = An rn−1 Pn1 (cos θ) (27)
n=1
Homer Reid’s Solutions to Jackson Problems: Chapter 5 14

Since the iron filling the space r > b is assumed to have infinite permeability,
the H field (and hence the B field, since B = H for r < b) must be strictly
radial at the boundary r = b. The An coefficients are thus determined by the
requirement that (27) and (25) sum to zero at r = b:
∞ ∞
X µ0 Ia2 X (−1)n (2n + 1)!!  a 2n 1
An bn−1 Pn1 (cos θ) = P2n+1 (cos θ).
n=1
4b3 n=0 2n (n + 1)! b
The orthogonality of the associated Legendre polynomials requires that each
term in the sum cancel individually, whence
A2n = 0
µ0 Ia2 (−1)n (2n + 1)!!  a 2n
A2n+1 = .
4b3 2n (n + 1)! b2
Then the field of the bound current in the iron is determined everywhere in the
region r < b:
∞
µ0 Ia2 X (−1)n (2n + 1)(2n + 1)!!  ar 2n
B2r = P2n+1 (cos θ) (28)
4b3 n=0 2n (n + 1)! b2
∞
µ0 Ia2 X (−1)n (2n + 1)!!  ar 2n 1
B2θ = P2n+1 (cos θ). (29)
4b3 n=0 2n (n + 1)! b2

As r → 0, B2θ → 0 and B2r → µ0 Ia2 /4b3 , while B1r → µ0 I/2a, so the total
field at r = 0 is
µ0 Ia2 a3
 
µ0 I µ0 I
Br (r = 0) = B1r (r = 0) + B2r (r = 0) = + = 1+ 3 .
2a 4b3 2a 2b

(b) The B2 field may be attributed to an image current ring outside r = b if,
for suitable redefinitions of I and a, the expressions (28) and (29) can be made
to look like the r < a versions of (24) and (25).

Problem 5.18

A circular loop of wire having a radius a and carrying a current I is located in

vacuum with its center a distance d away from a semi-infinite slab of permeability
µ. Find the force acting on the loop when
(a) the plane of the loop is parallel to the face of the slab,
(b) the plane of the loop is perpendicular to the face of the slab.
(c) Determine the limiting form of your answer to parts a and b when d  a.
Can you obtain these limiting values in some simple and direct way?

(a) We’ll take the loop to be at z = +d, and the slab of permeability µ to
occupy the space z < 0, so that the boundary surface is z = 0.
Homer Reid’s Solutions to Jackson Problems: Chapter 5 15

In the region z < 0, there is no free current, so ∇ × H = 0 everywhere; thus

H may be obtained from a scalar potential, H = −∇Φm , and since ∇ · H = 0
as well we have ∇2 Φm = 0. The azimuthally symmetric solution of the Laplace
equation in cylindrical coordinates that remains finite as z → −∞ is
Z ∞
Φm (z < 0) = dk A(k)ekz J0 (kρ), (30)
0

and from this we obtain

Z ∞
∂
Hρ (z < 0) = − Φm = − dk kA(k)ekz J00 (kρ)
∂ρ 0
Z ∞
= dk kA(k)ekz J1 (kρ) (31)
0
Z ∞
∂
Hz (z < 0) = − Φm = − dk kA(k)ekz J0 (kρ). (32)
∂z 0

On the other hand, for z > 0 we may decompose the H field into two
components: one component H1 arising from the current loop, and a second
component H2 arising from the bound currents running in the slab. H1 is just
given by the curl of the vector potential we worked out in Problem 5.10:
µ0 Ia ∞
 Z

 dk e−k(z−d) J1 (ka)J1 (kρ), z>d
1  2
0
H1 = ∇×A, A = Aφ φ̂, Aφ =
µ0 µ Ia ∞
Z
 0 dk e−k(d−z) J1 (ka)J1 (kρ),

 z < d.
2 0
so
1 ∂
H1ρ = − Aφ
µ0 ∂z
Ia ∞
 Z

 dk ke−k(z−d) J1 (ka)J1 (kρ), z>d
 2 0
=
Ia ∞
Z
dk ke−k(d−z) J1 (ka)J1 (kρ),

−
 z < d.
2 0
(33)
1 1 ∂
H1z = (ρAφ )
µ0 ρ ∂ρ
Ia ∞
 
1
 Z
−k(z−d)


 2 dk ke J1 (ka) J1 (kρ) − J0 (kρ) z>d
0 kρ
= Z ∞  
Ia 1
dk ke−k(d−z) J1 (ka)


 J1 (kρ) − J0 (kρ) , z < d.
2 0 kρ
(34)
In the last two equations we may use Jackson’s identity (3.87),
1 1
J1 (kρ) = [J0 (kρ) + J2 (kρ)]
kρ 2
Homer Reid’s Solutions to Jackson Problems: Chapter 5 16

to rewrite H1z as
Ia ∞
 Z


 4 dk e−k(z−d) J1 (ka) [J2 (kρ) − J0 (kρ)] , z > d
H1z = Z0 (35)
Ia ∞
dk e−k(d−z) J1 (ka) [J2 (kρ) − J0 (kρ)] , z < d.



4 0

Since the H2 field arises entirely from bound currents, it may also be derived
from a scalar potential Φm satisfying the Laplace equation. The azimuthally
symmetric solution of the Laplace equation in cylindrical coordinates that re-
mains finite for all ρ and as z → +∞ is
Z ∞
Φm (z > 0) = dk B(k)e−kz J0 (kρ)
0

and the components of H2 are

Z ∞
H2r (z > 0) = − dk kB(k)e−kz J1 (kρ) (36)
0
Z ∞
H2z (z > 0) = dk kB(k)e−kz J0 (kρ). (37)
0

The required forms of the functions A(k) and B(k) are determined by the
boundary conditions on H at the medium boundary, z = 0:

Hρ (z = 0− ) = Hρ (z = 0+ ) µHρ (z = 0− ) = µ0 Hρ (z = 0+ ).

Equating (32) with the sum of (??) and (??), we have

∞ ∞ ∞
µ0 Ia
Z Z Z
− dk kA(k)J0 (kρ) = dk ke−kd J1 (ka) (J2 (kρ) − J0 (kρ)) + dk kB(k)J0 (kρ)
0 2 0 0