Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-year-2-of-the-natural-sciences-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2023/paper-1/1/b/solution

The azimuthal vector is automatically orthogonal to the other two. Their remaining dot product is
Thus orthogonal coordinates require , which integrates to . The initial value gives , and the smooth branch with is
The corresponding coordinate-vector norms are and , as in the hyperbolic parametrization of prolate spheroidal coordinates. Coordinate degeneracies on the axis and focal segment are understood.
Eliminating the angular coordinates on the requested surface gives
It is a prolate spheroid with long axis , equatorial radius , polar semiaxis , and foci .
Figure 1.
The prolate spheroid and its meridian ellipse, with equatorial and polar semiaxes and the two foci
. Details.

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