# Component of the quadrupole Q_ij

1. May 12, 2012

### ellocomateo

Hello,

I do not manage to visualize the link between the component of the quadrupole Q_ij and the spatial distribution of the electric quadrupole field.

I was told to imagine the Q_ij as an ellipsoid, which I understand (the ellipsoid "radius" in a given direction being the strength of the quadrupole along this direction). Yet what is the link between the Q_ij and the usual representation in Slide 12 of this file?:
cems.uvm.edu/~oughstun/LectureNotes141/Topic_09%20%28ElectrostaticMultipoles%29.pdf

In particular, I want to find out when does the gradient \nabla_k Q_ij equal zero? When i,j =! k ?

Pleeeease, help!

2. May 12, 2012

### Bob S

The azimuthal gradient of V(r,θ,$\varphi$) in slide 11 is proportional to $\frac{d}{d\theta}\left(3\cos^2\theta-1 \right)=6\sin\theta\cos\theta=3\sin\left(2\theta \right)$

3. May 13, 2012

### ellocomateo

Thank you for commenting, but how does this translate to the i and j ?

4. May 13, 2012

### Bob S

Perhaps you and I are looking at different slides and/or files. I am looking at slide 12 of the file
www.cems.uvm.edu/~oughstun/LectureNotes141/Topic_09%20%28ElectrostaticMultipoles%29.pdf [Broken]
which is a plot of the equipotential lines of V(r,θ,φ) of a linear electric quadrupole.

Last edited by a moderator: May 6, 2017
5. May 13, 2012