Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2005/ib/paper-4/7h/solution

For static fields, the Maxwell equations give and . Write . A gauge transformation leaves unchanged; choose to impose the Coulomb gauge. Then
For a localized conserved current with the potential chosen to vanish at infinity, the supplied fundamental solution gives the magnetic vector potential
Its divergence vanishes by integration by parts and . For a filamentary loop the current integral becomes , so
For much larger than the fixed loop size, expand . The leading constant term integrates to zero because . Therefore
The vector triple-product identity gives . Integrating the derivative of around the closed loop shows . Consequently
Equivalently, , where is the magnetic dipole moment. The leading displayed potential is of order ; the remainder is smaller by a factor .

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