1

Background

I showed this solution to my professor and my professor responded, "The variable $r$ ranges over the infinite interval from $a$ to infinity. This is an infinite interval. A complete set of orthogonal functions would involve a set labeled by a continuous parameter. Your choice of the ordinary Bessel functions which vanish at $r=a$ will give a complete set of orthogonal functions only on the interval from $0$ to $a$."

Problem

Shown in the figure is a infinite conducting cylinder centered on the $z$ axis, and an infinite conducting plane in the $x-y$ plane. The surface of the cylinder is grounded, as is the plane for all $r>b$. However, there is an inhomogeneous boundary condition on the plane for all $a<r<b$. The problem is to find the electrostatic potential in all space that is above the $x-y$ plane and exterior to the cylinder

enter image description here

Question

Can you verify my solution?

Michael Levy
  • 1,100
  • 6
  • 22

1 Answers1

1

This solution is incorrect

This problem is not quite the same as that in [1], however, under fair use, I have used the language therein as a template for solving this problem.

In the region of interest there is no charge. Our solution of Laplace's equation in circular cylindrical coordinates is a linear combination of \begin{align*} \psi_{k,m}(r,\phi,z) &= \left[A_{k,m}\,J_{m}{(kr)} + B_{k,m}\,N_{m}{(kr)}\right] \\ &\qquad \left[ C_{k,m}\,\cos{(m\,\phi)} + D_{k,m}\,\sin{(m\phi)} \right]\left[ E_{k,m}\,e^{-k\,z} + F_{m,k}\, e^{+k\,z} \right]. \end{align*} The particular linear combination is determined by the boundary conditions to be satisfied. Our cylinder here has a radius $a$ and on its entire surface the potential is zero. The problem is to find the electric potential $$ \Psi(r,\phi,z) = \sum_{k,m}\psi_{k,m}(r,\phi,z) $$ everywhere in the exterior of the hollow cynlinder and above the $z=0$ plane.

As one boundary conditions is $\lim_{z\to\infty}V{(r,\phi,z)} = 0$, we must take $F_{k,m}=0$. The $z$ dependence becomes $e^{-k\,z} $. The requirement that $\Psi = 0$ on the cylindrical sides is met by requiring the separation constant $k$ to be $$k=k_{m,n} = \frac{\alpha_{m,n}}{a},$$ where the first subscript, $m$, gives the index of the Bessel function, whereas the second subscript identifies the particular zero of $J_m$. Consequently, we must take $B_{k,m}=0$. The electrostatic potential becomes \begin{equation} \begin{aligned} \Psi(r,\phi,z) = \sum_{m=0}^\infty \, \sum_{n=1}^\infty J_{m}{\left(\frac{\alpha_{m,n}\,r}{a}\right)} \,\left[ C_{n,m}\,\cos{(m\,\phi)} + D_{n,m}\,\sin{(m\phi)} \right]\, \exp{\left(- \frac{\alpha_{m,n}\,z}{a} \right) }. \end{aligned} \tag{1} \end{equation} Equation (1) is a double series: A piece-wise Bessel series in $r$ and a Fourier series in $\phi$. At $z=0$, $\Psi= \Psi_o{(r,\phi)}$ (i.e., $\Psi_o$ is a known function of $r$ and $\phi$). Therefore,
\begin{equation*} \begin{aligned} &\Psi(r,\phi,0) = \sum_{m=0}^\infty \, \sum_{n=1}^\infty J_{m}{\left(\frac{\alpha_{m,n}\,r}{a}\right)} \,\left[ C_{n,m}\,\cos{(m\,\phi)} + D_{n,m}\,\sin{(m\phi)} \right]. \end{aligned} \end{equation*} The constants $C_{k,m}$ and $D_{k,m}$ are evaluated by using orthogonality rules of the harmonic functions and the closure relation of the Bessel functions. First, I multiply and integrate as \begin{equation*} \begin{aligned} & \int_{\phi=0}^{2\pi} \, \cos{(m'\,\phi)}\,\Psi_o(r,\phi )\,d\phi \\ &=\sum_{m=0}^\infty \, \sum_{n=1}^\infty J_{m}{\left(\frac{\alpha_{m,n}\,r}{a}\right)} \, \int_{\phi=0}^{2\pi}\left[ C_{n,m}\,\cos{(m\,\phi)} + D_{n,m}\,\sin{(m\phi)} \right]\,\cos{(m'\,\phi)} \, dk\,d\phi. \\ &=\sum_{m=0}^\infty \, \sum_{n=1}^\infty C_{n,m}\,J_{m}{\left(\frac{\alpha_{m,n}\,r}{a}\right)} \, \int_{\phi=0}^{2\pi} \cos{(m\,\phi)} \,\cos{(m'\,\phi)} \, d\phi. \\ &=\sum_{m=0}^\infty \, \sum_{n=1}^\infty C_{n,m}\,J_{m}{\left(\frac{\alpha_{m,n}\,r}{a}\right)} \,\begin{cases} \pi\,\delta_{m,m'},&(m\neq 0), \\ 2\,\pi,&(m=m'= 0). \end{cases} \\ &= \pi\,\left[ 1+ \delta_{m',0} \right] \, \sum_{n=1}^\infty C_{n,m'}\, J_{m'}{\left(\frac{\alpha_{m',n}\,r}{a}\right)} \end{aligned} \end{equation*} Second, I multiply and integrate as \begin{equation*} \begin{aligned} &\int_{r=0}^{\infty} \int_{\phi=0}^{2\pi} r\,J_{m'}{\left(\frac{\alpha_{m',n'}\,r}{a}\right)} \, \cos{(m'\,\phi)}\,\Psi_o(r,\phi )\,d\phi\,dr \\ &= \pi\,\left[ 1+ \delta_{m',0} \right] \, \sum_{n=1}^\infty C_{n,m'}\, \int_{r=0}^{\infty}r\, J_{m'}{\left(\frac{\alpha_{m',n}\,r}{a}\right)} \, J_{m'}{\left(\frac{\alpha_{m',n'}\,r}{a}\right)} \,dr \\ &= \pi\,\left[ 1+ \delta_{m',0} \right] \, \sum_{n=1}^\infty C_{n,m'}\, \frac{1}{\frac{\alpha_{m',n'}}{a}}\,\delta_{n,n'} \\ &= \pi\,\left[ 1+ \delta_{m',0} \right] \, C_{n',m'}\, \frac{a} {\alpha_{m',n'}} \end{aligned} \end{equation*} I find that the coefficient \begin{equation*} C_{n,m} = \frac{ \alpha_{m,n} } {\pi\,a}\, \int_{r=0}^{\infty} \int_{\phi=0}^{2\pi} J_{m}{\left(\frac{\alpha_{m,n}\,r}{a}\right)} \, \cos{(m \phi)}\,\Psi_o(r,\phi )\,d\phi\,dr \, \left[ 1+ \delta_{m,0}\right]. \end{equation*} By a similar process, I also find that the coefficient \begin{equation*} D_{n,m} = \frac{ \alpha_{m,n} } {\pi\,a}\, \int_{r=0}^{\infty} \int_{\phi=0}^{2\pi} J_{m}{\left(\frac{\alpha_{m,n}\,r}{a}\right)} \, \sin{(m \phi)}\,\Psi_o(r,\phi )\,d\phi\,dr \, \left[ 1- \delta_{m,0}\right]. \end{equation*} Now, in this particular case, $\Psi_o(r,\phi ) = 0$ for $r<a$ and for $b<r$; thus, \begin{align*} C_{n,m} &= \frac{ \alpha_{m,n} } {\pi\,a}\, \int_{r=a}^{b} \int_{\phi=0}^{2\pi} J_{m}{\left(\frac{\alpha_{m,n}\,r}{a}\right)} \, \cos{(m \phi)}\,\Psi_o(r,\phi )\,d\phi\,dr \, \left[ 1+ \delta_{m,0}\right]. \\ D_{n,m} &= \frac{ \alpha_{m,n} } {\pi\,a}\, \int_{r=a}^{b} \int_{\phi=0}^{2\pi} J_{m}{\left(\frac{\alpha_{m,n}\,r}{a}\right)} \, \sin{(m \phi)}\,\Psi_o(r,\phi )\,d\phi\,dr \, \left[ 1- \delta_{m,0}\right]. \end{align*} These are definite integrals, that is these are numbers. Upon substitution of these coefficients back into Equation (1), the series is specified and the potential $\Psi{(r,\phi,z)}$ is determined.

[1] Arfken and Weber, "Mathematical Methods for Physicists," 5th edition, page 690-691.

Michael Levy
  • 1,100
  • 6
  • 22