How to deduce rot and div formulas under spherical or cylinderical coordinat

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the derivation of the formulas for divergence and curl in spherical or cylindrical coordinates. Participants explore the mathematical foundations and definitions necessary for these derivations, focusing on the limit definitions and the relationships between coordinate transformations and the corresponding metric coefficients.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Mathematical reasoning
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant presents the general formulas for divergence and curl in terms of the metric coefficients \( h_1, h_2, h_3 \) and expresses confusion about their derivation.
  • Another participant suggests using the limit definitions of divergence and curl, referencing external mathematical resources for clarification.
  • A participant acknowledges the formula for \( h_1 \) and relates it to a known formula from a mathematical resource, indicating a partial understanding of the derivation process for divergence.
  • One participant expresses difficulty in deriving the curl formula, noting that it has a different definition and is more complex than the divergence formula.
  • A later reply suggests a method for calculating the curl by considering a small oriented rectangle and performing a line integral, indicating a strategy similar to that used for divergence.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the derivation of the curl formula, with some expressing clarity on the divergence while others remain puzzled by the curl's complexity. Multiple approaches and interpretations are presented without resolution.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference specific mathematical definitions and relationships, but there are unresolved assumptions regarding the application of these definitions in the context of spherical and cylindrical coordinates. The discussion highlights the dependence on understanding the metric coefficients and their derivations.

Dale12
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[SOLVED] How to deduce rot and div formulas under spherical or cylinderical coordinat

It is said that in general, these formulas are:

if <br /> dl_1=h_1du_1, dl_2=h_2du_2, dl_3=h_3du_3<br />

then
\nabla \Psi=\frac{1}{h_1}\frac{\partial\Psi}{\partial u_1}\vec{e}_1 + \frac{1}{h_2}\frac{\partial\Psi}{\partial u_2}\vec{e}_2 + \frac{1}{h_3}\frac{\partial\Psi}{\partial u_3}\vec{e}_3<br />

with the first sentence, which above is easy to be understood, but how to deduce the two formulas below?

\nabla\cdot\vec{f}=\frac{1}{h_2h_3}[\frac{\partial(h_2h_3f_1)}{\partial u_1} + \frac{\partial(h_3h_1f_2)}{\partial u_2} + \frac{\partial(h_1h_2f_3)}{\partial u_3}]<br />

\nabla\times\vec{f}=\frac{1}{h_2h_3}[\frac{\partial(h_3f_3)}{\partial u_2} - \frac{\partial(h_2f_2)}{\partial u_3}]\vec{e}_1 + \frac{1}{h_3h_1}[\frac{\partial(h_1f_1)}{\partial u_3} - \frac{\partial(h_3f_3)}{\partial u_1}]\vec{e}_2 + \frac{1}{h_1h_2}[\frac{\partial(h_2f_2)}{\partial u_1} - \frac{\partial(h_1f_1)}{\partial u_2}]\vec{e}_3<br />
==========================
some one says that
<br /> h_1=\sqrt{(\frac{\partial x_1}{u_1})^2+(\frac{\partial x_2}{u_1})^2+(\frac{\partial x_3}{u_1})^2}<br />
and etc.
But I don't know how to deduce this too.

thanks a lot!
 
Last edited:
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robphy said:
Use the limit definitions of the divergence and curl.
See http://mathworld.wolfram.com/Divergence.html and http://mathworld.wolfram.com/Curl.html .

I know that h_1=\sqrt{(\frac{\partial x_1}{u_1})^2+(\frac{\partial x_2}{u_1})^2+(\frac{\partial x_3}{u_1})^2}
is just the formula(6) in http://mathworld.wolfram.com/CurvilinearCoordinates.html now.

and by using the limit definitions of the divergence, I can deduce the formula like below:
<br /> <br /> \nabla\cdot\vec{f} = \lim_{\delta V\rightarrow 0} \frac{1}{\delta V}\oint\vec{f}\cdot\vec{n}dS <br /> <br />
<br /> <br /> = \frac{1}{h_1h_2h_3du_1du_2du_3}[(h_2h_3f_1)^{&#039;}-(h_2h_3f_1)]du_2du_3 + [(h_1h_3f_2)^{&#039;}-(h_1h_3f_2)]du_2du_3 +[(h_1h_2f_3)^{&#039;}-(h_1h_2f_3)]du_2du_3 <br /> <br />
<br /> <br /> = \frac{1}{h_1h_2h_3du_1du_2du_3}\cdot[\frac{\partial(h_2h_3f_1)}{\partial u_1} + \frac{\partial(h_1h_3f_2)}{\partial u_2} +\frac{\partial(h_1h_2f_3)}{\partial u_3}]du_1du_2du_3 <br /> <br />
<br /> <br /> = \frac{1}{h_1h_2h_3}[\frac{\partial(h_2h_3f_1)}{\partial u_1} + \frac{\partial(h_1h_3f_2)}{\partial u_2} +\frac{\partial(h_1h_2f_3)}{\partial u_3}]<br /> <br />

but the formula of rot seems to be hard because it's different definition form, I am puzzled...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
\left(\nabla\times\vec{f}\right) \cdot \hat n<br /> = \lim_{\delta A\rightarrow 0} \frac{1}{\delta A}\oint\vec{f}\cdot d\vec{s}
finds the component of the curl (rot), parallel to \hat n.

The calculation follows a similar strategy to the one for the divergence.
Consider the case when \hat n=\hat e_1.
Consider a small oriented rectangle in the e_2e_3-plane, with unit normal \hat e_1 and area (h_2du_2)(h_3du_3). Now do the line-integral... analogous to the surface integral you did for the divergence.
 
IC, thanks to robphy!
 

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