Example:

Here we solve for the potential for a spherical shell of surface charge density = 0 cos(2) located at r=a and where e=0 for all space. The techniques employed to solve for this charge density are very similar to those used in the Q8 on example sheet 2. However, the difference here being that the 2 dependence requires an expansion in terms of Legendre polynomials. Bear in the mind, the technique entails1. making an expansion solution to the Laplace equation, 2. enforcing the boundary condition that the potential is continuous on either side of the spherical shell 3. enforcing the discontinuity of the electric field 4. solving for the coefficient using the orthogonality properties of the Legendre functions. You should familiarise yourself with Q8 before following the solution outlined here.
Firstly, expand as: () = 0 cos 2 = 0 (2 cos 2 1)
and write in terms of Legendre polynomials: = 0 [ P0 (cos ) + P2 (cos ) ] where P(x) = 1, P2 (x) = 3x 2 1 2

2x 2 1 = + (3x 2 1) 2 3 4 = 2 = 2 3 2 1 = 1 = 1 = 2 3 3 0 [ P0 (cos ) 4P2 (cos )] 3

() =

Now, as we did for the previous example (where = 0 cos ) we expand the potential in a Legendre series:
Vr a = A l r l Pl (cos )
l=0

Vr a =
l=0

Bl Pl (cos ) r l +1

From the continuity of the potential at the surface of the sphere r=a: Bl = A l a 2l +1

The discontinuity in the electric field gives:

1 Vout Vin r r = () r =a 0 Al = 1 1 ()Pl (cos ) sin d = (x)Pl (x)dx; x=cos 2 0 a l 1 2 0 a l 1 1 0
1

A0 =

0 1 1 a0 ( )dx = 30 2 0 a 1 1 3 0 1 4 2 0 4 2 4 0 1 ( 3 )P2 (x)dx = 20 a 3 5 = 150 a 20 a

A2 =

(Prove the dipole contribution, A1 = 0). Thus, within the sphere:

Vr a = 0 a 4r 2 1 2 P2 (cos ) 3 0 5a 0 a a 4a 5 3 2 P2 (cos ) 3 0 r 5r a

Vr a =

0 a a 4a 3 3 P2 (cos ) 30 r 5r

In summary: 0 a 4r 2 1 2 P2 (cos ) r a 30 5a V= 3 0 a a 4a P (cos ) r a 3 r 5r 3 2 0

The exact potential has both monopole and quadrupole components but zero dipole. We can also derive (and verify is it correct!) this result from the individual components:

Monopole moment and potential:

p0 = 20 ( 2 cos 2 1) a 2 sin d
0 1

= 20 ( 2x 2 1) a 2 dx
1

40 a 2 2 = 40 a 2 ( 1) = 3 3 Vmono = 1 40 a 2 . 4 o r 3 a2 = 0 3 0 r

Dipole moment
p1 = 20 ( 2x 3 x ) a 3 dx = 0
1 1

Quadrupole moment and potential

Vquad =
1 3x 2 1 1 P2 (cos )2a 4 ( 2x 2 1) dx 3 4 0 r 2 1

1 P2 (cos )a 4 ( 6x 4 5x 2 + 1) dx 4 0 r 3 1 1 6 5 P2 (cos )a 4 2 + 1 40 r 3 5 3

1 8 P2 (cos )a 4 20 r 3 15 4a 4 P2 (cos ) 150 r 3

Vquad =