The University of British Columbia time derivative through the implicit dependence

~ + ~r′ . That is,

of tr on ~r = R
Physics 401 Assignment # 10: ~
!
~ · J(~
~ r , tr ) =
′ ∂ J ~ r = − J̇ · R̂ (10)
∇ · ∇t
∂tr c
RETARDED
~ ~
POTENTIALS because, for a given R,
∂J
=
∂J
= J̇, and
∂tr ∂t
SOLUTIONS: ~ r = −1∇
∇t ~ R = − R̂ .
√

c c
Wed. 15 Mar. 2006 — finish by Wed. 22 However, J~ (~r ′ , tr ) depends explicitly and
Mar. implicitly upon ~r ′ , and must locally satisfy the
equation of continuity ∇ ~ ′ · J = −ρ̇ (i.e.
charge conservation) at any instant of time in
1. (p. 426, Problem 10.8) — Retarded Gauge:
terms of the source coordinates ~r ′ , so we have
Confirm that the retarded potentials satisfy
the Lorentz gauge condition,
~ ′ · J(~r ′ , tr ) = −ρ̇ + J̇ · R̂
∇ (11)
µ c
∇ ~ =− 1 ∂V
~ ·A or
∂A
=0 (1)
c2 ∂t ∂xµ
~ ′ tr = − 1 ∇
√
because ∇ ~ ′ R = + R̂ .
V c c
where A0 ≡ and J 0 ≡ cρ . (2)


c Finally we use this to calculate the divergence of
~ in Eq. (10.19):
A
ANSWER: Following the hint, we first show
µ0 J µ (~r′ , tr )dτ ′
! ! ZZZ
~
J 1 1 ′ ′ ~
J Aµ (~r , t) = (12)
~
∇· ~ J
= (∇· ~ )+ (∇~ · J)−
~ ∇ ~ · (3) 4π R
R R R R

ZZZ   
where R~ ≡ ~r − ~r ′ , ∇~ denotes derivatives with ~ ·A
~ = µ0 1
1
′ ∇ − J̇ · R̂
~
respect to ~r , and ∇ denotes derivatives with 4π  R c 
respect to ~r ′ : The identity 1 1
+ −ρ̇ + J̇ · R̂
  R c
!#
~ · (f~v ) = f ∇ ~ · ~v + ~v · ∇f
~ (4) ~
∇
−∇~′· J dτ ′ .
R
and the (hopefully by now familiar) results
    The divergence theorem tells us that
∇~ 1 = − R̂ = −∇ ~′ 1 (5) ZZZ " !#
R 2 R R ′ ~
J
ZZ ~
J · d~a′
∇~ · dτ ′ = .
! R R
~
J 1 ~ ~ ~
 
R̂
~ ·
=⇒ ∇ = ∇·J −J · (6)
R R 2 R Now, if the closed surface encloses all the charges
and currents in the source volume, J~ = 0 over the
!
~ 1 ~ ′ ~ ~
 
whole surface and the surface integral is zero,
~ ′· J
& ∇ = ∇ · J +J ·
R̂
. (7)
R R 2 R leaving
√ ZZZ  
Adding together Eqs. (6) and (7) gives Eq. (3). ~ ~ µ0 −ρ̇
∇·A = dτ ′
~ ~r′ , t − R/c depends on ~r ′

4π R
Next, noting that J
both explicitly and through R, whereas it depends ∂

1
ZZZ  
ρ

on ~r only through R, we confirm that = −µ0 ǫ0 dτ ′
∂t 4πǫ0 R

~ = − 1 J̇ · ∇
 
~ ·J ~R
~ = − 1 ∂V
∇ (8) √
c or ~ ·A
∇ . QED
c2 ∂t
~ ′·J ~ = −ρ̇ − 1 J̇ · ∇
 ′ 
∇ ~ R : (9)
c
~ (~r′ , tr ) with respect to ~r (on
Derivatives of J
which it does not depend explicitly) mix in the
2

2. (p. 427, Problem 10.10) — Weird Loop: (b) Find the electric field at the center.
ANSWER: Since V = 0 we have just

~  
~ = − ∂ A = − µ0 k ln b x̂ .
E
∂t 2π a
(c) Why does this (neutral) wire produce an
electric field? ANSWER: Because the
vector potential is changing with time,
“Doh!” I think this is meant as a retroactive
hint in case you got hung up on the
A piece of wire bent into a weirdly shaped loop, preceding question.
as shown in the diagram, carries a current that
increases linearly with time: (d) Why can’t you determine the magnetic
field from this expression for A?~
I(t) = kt . ANSWER: Finding B ~ =∇ ~ ×A ~ requires
~
knowledge of the dependence of A on ~r ; but
(a) Calculate the retarded vector potential A ~ ~ only at one point in
we have calculated A
at the center. ANSWER: Choose the ~ r ) you
space! If you want a differentiable A(~
origin at the same place as the field point: will have a far more difficult calculation to
the centre. Thus ~r = 0 and R ~ = −~r′ . The
perform.
source region is uncharged, so V = 0.
Z ~ ′
~ µ0 I(~r , t − r′ /c) ′
A(0, t) = dℓ
4π −r′ 3. (p. 434, Problem 10.13) — Circulating
" Z Charge: A particle of charge q moves in a
b
µ0 k (t − ℓ/c)x̂dℓ circle of radius a at constant angular velocity ω.
=− 2
4π a ℓ [Assume that the circle lies in the x y plane,
Z π centered at the origin, and that at time t = 0
(t − b/c)θ̂bdθ the charge is at (a, 0), on the positive x axis.]
+
0 b Find the Liénard-Wiechert potentials for
Z π # points on the z axis. ANSWER: In general,
(t − a/c)θ̂adθ
−  
0 a q c
V (~r , t) =
4πǫ0 Rc − R ~ · ~v ret
where θ̂ = −x̂ sin θ + ŷ cos θ. Now, by
symmetry there is as much current going
 
~ r , t) = V (~r, t) ~v
A(~
“up” as “down” at the same r′ and tr , so c2 ret
the ŷ components cancel. This leaves
where [· · ·]ret means that the quantities in the
~ µ0 k square brackets are to be evaluated at the
A(0, t) = I x̂
4π retarded time tr = t − R/c. Relative to the origin,
where ~r ′ = aŝ = a [x̂ cos(ωt) + ŷ sin(ωt)].
For a point on the z axis, ~r = z ẑ and
b
dℓ 2 b ~ =√
Z Z
R z ẑ − a cos(ωt)x̂ − a sin(ωt)ŷ so
I ≡ 2t − dℓ
a ℓ c a R= z 2 + a2 , independent of time. We also
 Z π have ~v = aω [−x̂ sin(ωt) + ŷ cos(ωt)] and
b v = aω. Thus R ~ (tr ) = z ẑ −a cos θr x̂ −a sin θr ŷ
− t− sin θdθ
c 0 and ~v (tr ) = aω [−x̂ sin θr + ŷ cos θr ] where
√
a π
Z

θr ≡ ω(t − z 2 + a2 /c) . Then R ~ (tr ) · ~v (tr ) =
+ t− sin θdθ
c 0 a2 ω[cos θr sin θr − sin θr cos θr ] = 0, leaving
 
b 2(b − a)
= 2t ln − q 1
a c V (~r, t) = √ and
4πǫ0 z 2 + a2
b a
−2t + 2 + 2t − 2
c c ~ r , t) = µ0 √ aωq [−x̂ sin θr + ŷ cos θr ] .
A(~
  4π z 2 + a2
~ µ0 k b
or A(0, t) = t ln x̂ .
2π a
 3

 1
4. (p. 441, Problem 10.19) — Sliding String of x̂ u
= √
Charges: An infinite, straight, uniformly sβ 3 a2 a2 + u2 −1
charged string, with λ charge per unit length,
1
slides along parallel to its length at a constant where a2 ≡ −1. Thus
speed v. β2
 
(a) Calculate the electric field a distance d ~ = x̂   2
I 
from the string, using Eq. (10.68):
q
sβ 3 1
−1 1
−1+1
β2 β2

~ r, t) = q 1 − v 2 /c2 R̂ x̂

2

E(~ = , so
4πǫ0 1 − v 2 sin2 θ/c2

3/2 R2 s 1 − β2

~ ≡ ~r − ~v t. ~ r , t) = λ 1 − β 2 x̂
where R E(~ or
2πǫ0 1 − β 2 s

~ r , t) = λ x̂
E(~
2πǫ0 s

just as for a line charge at rest!

(b) Find the magnetic field of this string,
ANSWER: Suppose the field point is a using Eq. (10.69):
perpendicular distance s from the string;
~ = 1 R ~ = 1 ~v × E
   
measure z from the nearest point on the B ~ ×E ~
c c 2
string, as shown in the diagram. Equation
(10.68), in which we do not need to evaluate
where R~ ≡ ~r − ~r ′ . ANSWER: Well,
anything at a retarded time, gives the
~ from a single charge q. ~v = vẑ and ẑ × x̂ = ŷ, so this is trivial:1
contribution to E
We need to superimpose such contributions
from all charge elements dq = λdz at ~ r , t) = µ0 I ŷ
B(~
positions −∞ < z < +∞ down the string: 2π s
for each of these we use R~ = sx̂ − z ẑ:
where I = λv. (Again, the same result as for
λ a steady current in magnetostatics.)
~ r , t) =
E(~ ~
(1 − v 2 /c2 ) I where
4πǫ0
∞
dz
Z
~ ≡ R̂
I .
−∞ R2 1 − β 2 sin2 θ
3/2

For each element dz at z there is an equal

element dz at −z; thus the “horizontal”
components cancel, leaving only the x
component of R̂, namely x̂ sin θ.
Meanwhile, since s = R sin θ,
1/R2 = sin2 θ/s2 ; and since −z = s cot θ,
dz = s csc2 θdθ = sdθ/ sin2 θ. So
dz/R2 = dθ/s and
Z π
~ = x̂ sin θdθ
I
3/2 .
0 s 1 − β 2 sin2 θ

Let u = cos θ so that sin θdθ = −du and

sin2 θ = 1 − u2 :
Z 1
~ = x̂ du 1
Strictly speaking, Eq. (10.69) is for a point charge, and
I
s −1 (1 − β 2 [1 − u2 ])3/2 so should be applied separately to each charge element λdz.
However, since ~v has the same magnitude and direction
1 for each, v comes outside the integral and all the non-y
du
Z
x̂
= 3 components of the individual cross products cancel out the
sβ −1 (a2 + u2 )
3/2
same way the horizontal components of E ~ do.