How to Calculate Electric Field of Half Spherical Shell with Gauss Law?

[asi123]

Homework Statement

Hey guys.
I got this question:
"Calculate the electric field of half a spherical shell with radius R and uniform surface charge density $$\sigma$$ along its axis of symmetry above the shell."
I guess I shell use Gauss law, the thing is that the Gauss surface will not be closed above the half spherical shell so I though about calculating the electric field for a full spherical shell and then divide it by 2 to get the electric field above the upper half spherical shell.
What do you say? is that the way to go?

Thanks in advance.

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

 

[LowlyPion]

If you're talking about losing the half away from the side that is charged, I'd think not.

From the statement I take it that the points along the axis make the charges look like concentric rings spaced at a distance according to their spherical geometry away from whatever point you are at. Like looking down at a salad bowl turned face down?

 

[asi123]

If you're talking about losing the half away from the side that is charged, I'd think not.

From the statement I take it that the points along the axis make the charges look like concentric rings spaced at a distance according to their spherical geometry away from whatever point you are at. Like looking down at a salad bowl turned face down?

Yeah, it's like a salad bowl turned face down
I need to find a closed Gauss surface that will contain this "bowl" and I can't think of one.

I'm sorry, I didn't understand what you mean by "If you're talking about losing the half away from the side that is charged, I'd think not.".

Thanks a lot.

 

[LowlyPion]

I didn't understand what you mean by ...

I was simply referring to your notion that you would take the integral of a whole sphere and then take away the mirror of the salad bowl.

 

[LowlyPion]

Here is a link to the kind of thing I think you will need to do:
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/electric/elelin.html#c3