Why is this volume/surface integration unaffected by a singularity?

In summary: Yes, we can. By using the divergence theorem and the fact that the vector field is continuous at ##\mathbf{r'}=\mathbf{r}##, we can write the divergence as:\begin{align}\displaystyledV'&=\dfrac{\mathbf{M'}}{\left| \mathbf{r}-\mathbf{r'} \right|} \tag{5}\\dS'&=\dfrac{\mathbf{M'}}{\left| \mathbf{r}-\mathbf{r'} \
  • #1
Mike400
59
6
##\mathbf{M'}## is a vector field in volume ##V'## and ##P## be any point on the surface of ##V'## with position vector ##\mathbf {r}##
stack exchange 3-10-19.png

Now by Gauss divergence theorem:

\begin{align}
\iiint_{V'} \left[ \nabla' . \left( \dfrac{\mathbf{M'}}{\left| \mathbf{r}-\mathbf{r'} \right|} \right) \right] dV'
&=\unicode{x222F}_{S'} \left[ \left( \dfrac{\mathbf{M'}}{\left| \mathbf{r}-\mathbf{r'} \right|} \right) . \hat{n} \right] dS' \tag{1}\\
\end{align}

Both of these expressions, ##LHS## and ##RHS## of equation ##(1)##, have their respective integrands singular at ##\mathbf{r'}=\mathbf{r}##. Now how shall we show that both the volume and surface integration is unaffected by this singularity at ##\mathbf{r'}=\mathbf{r}##?
 

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  • #2
The expression above is not valid, because the divergence theorem is only applicable to continuously differentiable vector fields, and the vector field
$$
\dfrac{\mathbf{M'}}{\left| \mathbf{r}-\mathbf{r'} \right|}$$
is discontinuous at ##\mathbf r##.
 
  • #3
Using the vector identity ##\nabla.(\psi \mathbf{A})=\mathbf{A}.(\nabla \psi)+\psi (\nabla.\mathbf{A})##, ##LHS## of equation ##1## can be written as:

\begin{align}
\iiint_{V'} \left[ \nabla' . \left( \dfrac{\mathbf{M'}}{\left| \mathbf{r}-\mathbf{r'} \right|} \right) \right] dV'
&=\iiint_{V'} \mathbf{M'}.\nabla' \left( \dfrac{1}{\left| \mathbf{r}-\mathbf{r'} \right|} \right) dV'
+
\iiint_{V'} \dfrac{\nabla' . \mathbf{M'}}{\left| \mathbf{r}-\mathbf{r'} \right|} dV'
\tag{2}
\end{align}

Now for simplicity, let's take the origin of our coordinate system at ##P## (see the diagram). Thus equation ##(2)## becomes:

\begin{align}
\iiint_{V'} \left[ \nabla' . \left( \dfrac{\mathbf{M'}}{r'} \right) \right] dV'
&=\iiint_{V'} \mathbf{M'}.\nabla' \left( \dfrac{1}{r'} \right) dV' \tag{3}
&+\iiint_{V'} \dfrac{\nabla' . \mathbf{M'}}{r'} dV'\\
\end{align}

Now by writing ##dV'## as spherical volume element, equation ##(3)## becomes:

##\displaystyle \iiint_{V'} \left[ \nabla' . \left( \dfrac{\mathbf{M'}}{r'} \right) \right] {r'}^2\ \sin\theta\ d\theta\ d\phi\ dr'
=\iiint_{V'} \mathbf{M'}.\nabla' \left( \dfrac{1}{r'} \right) {r'}^2\ \sin\theta\ d\theta\ d\phi\ dr'
+\iiint_{V'} \dfrac{\nabla' . \mathbf{M'}}{r'} {r'}^2\ \sin\theta\ d\theta\ d\phi\ dr'\\
\displaystyle =\iiint_{V'} (\mathbf{M'}. \hat{r'}) \sin\theta\ d\theta\ d\phi\ dr'
+\iiint_{V'} (\nabla' . \mathbf{M'})\ r'\ \sin\theta\ d\theta\ d\phi\ dr'\\
\tag{4}##

In equation ##(4)##, the integrands are defined everywhere except at ##P## where ##r'=0## where the integrand is ##\frac{0}{0}##. Thus we can directly compute the volume integrals in equation ##(4)##. Can we now do something to apply the Gauss divergence theorem to the ##LHS## of equation ##(4)##?
 
Last edited:

1. Why is this volume/surface integration unaffected by a singularity?

The volume or surface integration is unaffected by a singularity because a singularity is a point where a mathematical function becomes infinite or undefined. In other words, the function does not have a well-defined value at that point, which means it cannot be integrated. Therefore, when performing volume or surface integration, the singularity is simply excluded from the calculation.

2. What is a singularity in mathematics?

In mathematics, a singularity is a point where a function becomes infinite or undefined. It can also refer to a point where a function is not continuous or differentiable. Singularities can occur in various mathematical concepts, such as integrals, differential equations, and complex numbers.

3. How does a singularity affect calculations in science?

Singularities can pose challenges in calculations in science because they represent points where a function becomes undefined or infinite. This can lead to errors or inaccuracies in calculations if not properly accounted for. In some cases, scientists may need to use specialized techniques, such as regularization, to handle singularities in their calculations.

4. Can a singularity be physically observed?

In some cases, singularities can be physically observed, such as in the case of black holes. However, in many other cases, singularities are purely mathematical concepts that do not have a physical manifestation. They are used to describe points where a function becomes undefined or infinite, but they may not actually exist in the physical world.

5. Are singularities always considered problematic in mathematics?

Singularities are not always considered problematic in mathematics. In some cases, they can be used to simplify calculations or to describe certain phenomena. For example, singularities are often used in physics to describe the behavior of black holes. However, in other cases, singularities can cause issues in calculations and may need to be carefully addressed or avoided.

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