Problem with Spherical Surface Integral

In summary, the surface integral is equal to -\pi r_0 and the basis vectors need to be transformed into cartesian coordinates to properly integrate.
  • #1
Noone1982
83
0
[tex]A\; =\; 4\dot{r}\; +\; 3\dot{\theta }\; -\; 2\dot{\phi }[/tex]

Now the surface integral integral is:

[tex]\int_{}^{}{\left( ?\times A \right)\; •\; da} [/tex]

(the ? mark is a del operator and the dot over a variable means a unit vector)

[tex]?\times A\; =\frac{\dot{r}}{r\sin \theta }\left[ \frac{\partial }{\partial \theta }\left( \sin \theta A_{\phi } \right)\; -\; \frac{\partial A_{\theta }}{\partial \phi } \right]\; +\; \frac{\dot{\theta }}{r}\left[ \frac{1}{\sin \theta }\frac{\partial A_{r}}{\partial \phi }\; -\; \frac{\partial }{\partial r}\left( rA_{\phi } \right) \right]\; +\; \frac{\dot{\phi }}{r}\left[ \frac{\partial }{\partial r}\left( rA_{\theta } \right)\; -\; \frac{\partial A_{r}}{\partial \theta } \right] [/tex]

I get:

[tex]?\times A\; =\frac{\dot{r}}{r\sin \theta }\left[ \left( -2\cos \theta \right)\; -\; 0 \right]\; +\; \frac{\dot{\theta }}{r}\left[ \frac{1}{\sin \theta }\left( 0 \right)\; +\; 2 \right]\; +\; \frac{\dot{\phi }}{r}\left[ 3\; -0 \right][/tex]

Now I dot this to da

where da is:

[tex]da\; =\; r^{2}\sin \theta \; d\theta \; d\phi \; \dot{r}\; +\; r\sin \theta \; dr\; d\phi \; \dot{\theta }\; +\; r\; dr\; d\theta \; \dot{\phi }[/tex]

I get:

[tex]\int_{}^{}{\int_{}^{}{}}-2\cos \theta r\; d\theta \; d\phi \; \; +\; \int_{}^{}{\int_{}^{}{}}2\sin \theta \; dr\; d\phi \; +\int_{0}^{ro}{\int_{\frac{\pi }{2}}^{\frac{\pi }{2}}{}}3\; dr\; d\theta \; [/tex]

which equals:

[tex]-2\sin \theta r\phi \; +\; 2\sin \theta r\phi \; +\; \frac{3}{2}\pi r_{o}\; =\; \frac{3}{2}\pi r_{o}[/tex]

The answer should be

[tex]-\pi r_{0}[/tex]
 
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  • #2
You can't integrate over the spherical basis vectors because they change with position. You need to transform the vectors into cartesian coordinates.
 
  • #3
He doesn't need to change basis, he just messed up his LaTeX. There are supposed to be dot products among the basis vectors in there. So while [itex]\hat{r}[/itex] does depend on position, [itex]\hat{r}\cdot\hat{r}[/itex] does not.
 

What is a spherical surface integral?

A spherical surface integral is a mathematical concept used in physics and engineering to calculate the total value of a function over a spherical surface. It involves integrating the function over the surface area of a sphere, similar to how a regular integral calculates the area under a curve.

What is the difference between a spherical surface integral and a regular integral?

The main difference is that a regular integral is calculated over a one-dimensional interval, while a spherical surface integral is calculated over a two-dimensional spherical surface. This means that the integration limits and the integrand function are different for each type of integral.

What are the applications of spherical surface integrals?

Spherical surface integrals are used in many fields, including physics, engineering, and mathematics. They are commonly used in calculating physical quantities such as electric and magnetic fields, fluid flow, and heat transfer over spherical surfaces. They also have applications in computer graphics, where they are used to calculate lighting and shading effects on curved surfaces.

What are the challenges in solving spherical surface integrals?

One of the main challenges is determining the appropriate integration limits, as they can be more complex compared to regular integrals. Additionally, the integrand function may also be more complicated, making the integration process more difficult. Another challenge is dealing with singularities, which can occur at the center of the sphere or at the edges of the integration limits.

Are there any techniques for solving spherical surface integrals?

Yes, there are several techniques for solving spherical surface integrals, such as using spherical coordinates, parametric equations, or symmetry properties of the integrand function. Some integrals can also be simplified by using special functions, such as Legendre polynomials or spherical harmonics. It is important to carefully choose the appropriate technique based on the given problem.

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