Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2009/ia/paper-3/10b/solution

For a twice differentiable vector potential , commuting partial derivatives in gives the necessary condition
The potential is not unique: for any sufficiently smooth scalar , has the same curl, since the curl of a gradient is zero. This is the usual gradient freedom of a vector potential. A divergence-free condition alone need not suffice globally on every domain; here only its necessity is requested.
Stokes theorem states that for an oriented surface with compatible boundary orientation,
For the integrand in this problem, a convenient globally smooth vector potential is
The boundary of the upper ellipsoid is the ellipse . The outward normal on the upper surface induces counterclockwise orientation viewed from above, so parameterize it as , . Along this curve the first component of is zero and , leaving
Since the last angular integral is ,
The result is independent of the vertical semiaxis . As a sign check, the field is divergence-free, so closing the cap with the downward-oriented base disc makes its flux the positive integral of over that disc, which has the same value.

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