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A Cartesian second-rank tensor invariant under half-turns about all three coordinate axes is diagonal. Each half-turn has diagonal signs, and each off-diagonal entry changes sign under at least one of them. Invariance therefore kills all off-diagonal entries. It does not make the diagonal entries equal: that requires additional rotational invariance, as for an isotropic second-rank tensor.

Contract an isotropic tensor with the Kronecker delta or the Levi-Civita symbol, using invariance under proper rotations. The three displayed contractions have ranks one, two and three. The only isotropic vector is zero; an isotropic second-rank tensor is a scalar delta, and an isotropic third-rank tensor is a scalar epsilon. For $T_{ijkl}=\alpha {\delta }_{ij}{\delta }_{kl}+\beta {\delta }_{ik}{\delta }_{jl}+\gamma {\delta }_{il}{\delta }_{jk}$, direct contraction gives $\mu =3\alpha +\beta +\gamma$ and $\nu =\beta -\gamma$.

Here $V_d$ is the volume of the unit ball in $d$-dimensional Euclidean space. Rotational symmetry makes the integral an isotropic second-rank tensor $C{\delta }_{ij}$. Taking its trace gives $dC={\int }_{|x|\le R}|x{|}^2{d}^{d}x=d{V}_d{\int }_0^R{r}^{d+1}dr$. This proves the formula. For a constant matrix $M$, contraction gives $\int x^{T}Mx{d}^{d}x=V_d{R}^{d+2}\mathrm{tr}M/(d+2)$. In three dimensions the coefficient is $4\pi R^5/15$.

Let $M_{ij}={\int }_S{x}_i{x}_{j}dS$. A rotation matrix $Q$ maps the unit sphere and its surface measure to themselves. Changing variables therefore gives $Q_{ip}{Q}_{jq}{M}_{pq}=M_{ij}$, so $M$ is an isotropic second-rank tensor. Reflection symmetry also directly makes its off-diagonal entries zero, while interchange of coordinates makes its three diagonal entries equal. Its trace ishence $M_{ij}=(4\pi /3){\delta }_{ij}$. Oddness gives ${\int }_S{x}_{i}dS=0$. Expanding the defining product for $T$ now givesThe action on a vector is $Tv=\lambda v+\mu y(y\cdot v)$. For $y\ne 0$, its eigenvalues and eigenspaces are thereforeThe latter has multiplicity two. If $y=0$, the single eigenvalue $4\pi /3$ has multiplicity three and every vector is an eigenvector apart from the excluded zero vector.

A Cartesian isotropic tensor is unchanged by every proper rotation matrix. For a rank-two tensor this means $B^{\prime }=RB{R}^{\mathsf{T}}=B$, or $B_{ij}^{\prime }=R_{ik}{R}_{jl}{B}_{kl}=B_{ij}$. No symmetry of $B$ is assumed. For a quarter-turn about the $z$ axis,Comparing entries yields $B_{11}=B_{22}$, $B_{12}=-B_{21}$, $B_{13}=-B_{23}=-B_{13}$, and $B_{31}=-B_{32}=-B_{31}$. In particular,The remaining matrix has the form $\left(\begin{array}{ccc}b& c& 0\\ -c& b& 0\\ 0& 0& d\end{array}\right)$. A quarter-turn about the $x$ axis givesInvariance now forces $c=0$ and $d=b$, proving that an isotropic second-rank tensor isa scalar multiple of the Kronecker delta.

For the final unheaded conductivity identity, let $P=n{n}^{\mathsf{T}}$, the orthogonal projection onto the unit vector $n$. Then $P^2=P$ and the uniaxial conductivity tensor is $\sigma =\alpha I+\gamma P$. The antisymmetric tensor $D$ sends a vector $v$ to $v\times n$. Applying it twice and using the vector triple product givesConsequentlyThis equals $-\sigma =-\alpha I-\gamma P$ exactly when $(\alpha +\gamma )P=0$. Since $P$ has rank one and is nonzero, the requested parameter isAt this value conductivity vanishes along $n$; it is precisely the singular case excluded in part (ii), so there is no conflict with that part's conclusion.

The tensor contraction $B_{kl}={\delta }_{ij}{T}_{ijkl}$ is an isotropic second-rank tensor, because the Kronecker delta and $T$ are invariant under rotations. The classification proved above yields $B_{kl}=\mu {\delta }_{kl}$ for some scalar $\mu$.

For the given three-term tensor, contraction over $i,j$ givesThus $\mu =3\alpha +\beta +\gamma$.

Use the right-handed rotation matrix which sends the positive $x$ direction to the positive $y$ direction:The Cartesian second-rank tensor transformation law givesHere isotropic tensor means invariant under every proper rotation, as is needed for the rank-three assertion involving the Levi-Civita symbol. A passive coordinate rotation through the same angle uses $R^{\mathsf{T}}$ instead; the invariance conclusions are identical.

Setting $S^{\prime }=S$ forces $S_{11}=S_{22}$, $S_{12}=-S_{21}$, and $S_{13}=S_{23}=S_{31}=S_{32}=0$. No symmetry assumption on $S$ has been made: it now has the formInvariance under a right-handed quarter-turn about the $x$ axis next gives $S_{22}=S_{33}$ and $S_{12}=-S_{13}$, hence $a=c$ and $b=0$. Conversely $R(\lambda I)R^{\mathsf{T}}=\lambda I$ for every orthogonal matrix. The general isotropic second-rank tensor is therefore $S_{ij}=\lambda {\delta }_{ij}$.

An isotropic vector must be fixed by the half-turn about the $z$ axis, so its first two components vanish. The half-turn about the $x$ axis then forces its third component to vanish. Thus the only isotropic vector is zero. The general isotropic third-rank tensor under proper rotations is $A_{ijk}=\lambda {ϵ}_{ijk}$. If invariance under the whole orthogonal group were required of an ordinary rank-three tensor, inversion $R=-I$ would send $A$ to $-A$, forcing $A=0$ instead.

Here isotropic tensors are invariant under proper rotation matrices, $R^{T}R=I$ and $\det R=1$. The isotropic second-rank tensor and isotropic third-rank tensor forms in three dimensions arewith scalar coefficients $A,B$. One can see completeness directly. A half-turn about each coordinate axis kills every off-diagonal component of a rank-two tensor, and quarter-turns make its three diagonal components equal. For rank three, the half-turns require that each coordinate label occur an odd number of times in a nonzero component. Thus only permutations of $(1,2,3)$ survive. Quarter-turns interchange two labels while reversing one sign, forcing the surviving components to alternate with the parity of a permutation. This gives a multiple of the Levi-Civita symbol.

The tensor transformation law verifies invariance of these forms:The first equality uses orthogonality and the second uses the determinant formula. If reflections were also required while using the ordinary tensor transformation law, the rank-three coefficient would have to vanish. The proper-rotation convention is the one under which $B{ϵ}_{ijk}$ is an isotropic tensor.

The ball is unchanged by any rotation matrix, and rotating coordinates has Jacobian determinant one. Thus changing variables $\mathbf{y}=R\mathbf{x}$ givesThese moments are therefore isotropic tensor integrals. For the Cartesian moments of a three-dimensional ball, the second moment is $\alpha {\delta }_{ij}$. Taking its tensor contraction givesThe third moment vanishes: $\mathbf{x}\mapsto -\mathbf{x}$ preserves the ball and changes the sign of its integrand. Equivalently, its symmetry under index interchange excludes a nonzero multiple of the antisymmetric Levi-Civita symbol.

The fourth moment is symmetric under every permutation of its four indices. The general rank-four isotropic tensor form consequently has equal coefficients, yieldingFor example, comparing $T_{1122},T_{1212},T_{1221}$ shows that the three coefficients agree. Contracting $i=j$ and $k=l$ givesFinally the vector triple product identity gives $\mathbf{x}\times (\mathbf{\Omega }\times \mathbf{x})=r^2\mathbf{\Omega }-(\mathbf{\Omega }\cdot \mathbf{x})\mathbf{x}$. The first term integrates to $3\alpha \mathbf{\Omega }$ and the second to $\alpha \mathbf{\Omega }$, using the second moment. Hence

A Cartesian second-rank tensor is an isotropic tensor if its components are unchanged under every proper rotation matrix $R$:The Kronecker delta is isotropic because $R_{ik}{R}_{jk}={\delta }_{ij}$, the orthogonality relation $R{R}^T=I$.

No symmetry of $T$ needs to be assumed. A half-turn about the first axis has matrix $\mathrm{diag}(1,-1,-1)$; invariance under it forces $T_{12},T_{13},T_{21},T_{31}$ to vanish. A half-turn about the second axis additionally kills $T_{23}$ and $T_{32}$. Thus $T=\mathrm{diag}(d_1,d_2,d_3)$. Each half-turn is the square of an allowed quarter-turn. A quarter-turn about the third axis interchanges $d_1,d_2$, so they are equal. A quarter-turn about the second axis interchanges $d_1,d_3$, so all three are equal. Consequently the complete family of isotropic second-rank tensors isConversely, every member of this family is invariant because $R(\lambda I)R^T=\lambda I$.

Use the Cartesian second-rank tensor transformation convention $T^{\prime }=RT{R}^T$, where $R$ is the orthogonal matrix converting components to the new orthonormal basis. The coordinate half-turns areFor a diagonal rotation $R=\mathrm{diag}(s_1,s_2,s_3)$, invariance gives $t_{ij}=s_i{s}_j{t}_{ij}$, with no summation in this equation. For each $i\ne j$, one of the listed half-turns makes $s_i{s}_j=-1$, so $t_{ij}=-t_{ij}=0$. ThusThis is coordinate half-turn invariance of a second-rank tensor. It does not force equal diagonal entries; invariance under all rotations would be the stronger isotropic second-rank tensor condition.

Let $R$ be an orthogonal matrix describing a Cartesian change of coordinates, with transformed vector components $v_i^{\prime }=R_{ia}{v}_a$ and $w_j^{\prime }=R_{jb}{w}_b$. Their outer product transforms aswhich is the transformation law of a second-order Cartesian tensor. Here “rank two” counts tensor indices, not the rank of a matrix; a nonzero outer product has matrix rank one.

For an isotropic second-rank tensor, invariance means $RT{R}^T=T$ for every proper rotation matrix. The half-turn matrices $\mathrm{diag}(1,-1,-1)$, $\mathrm{diag}(-1,1,-1)$ and $\mathrm{diag}(-1,-1,1)$ force all off-diagonal entries to vanish. Quarter-turns around coordinate axes then force the three diagonal entries to be equal. Conversely $RI{R}^T=I$, so the most general second-rank isotropic tensor isSince $v{w}^T$ has matrix rank at most one, it cannot equal a nonzero scalar multiple of the three-dimensional identity. Thus its isotropy forces $v{w}^T=0$. If $v\ne 0$, a nonzero component $v_i$ makes the entire $i$th row vanish only when $w=0$; the converse is immediate. The required choices are exactlyFor the Levi-Civita symbol, multilinearity and antisymmetry of the determinant givefor every $R\in SO(3)$. This proves the rotation invariance of the Levi-Civita symbol, hence its third-rank isotropy. The convention is invariance under proper rotations: under an orthogonal reflection $\det R=-1$, the sign reverses. Thus it is a pseudotensor if transformations of both orientations are included.

For a Cartesian tensor under a proper orthogonal change $R$, the rank-$n$ law is $T_{i_1\cdots i_n}^{\prime }=R_{i_1{j}_1}\cdots R_{i_n{j}_n}{T}_{j_1\cdots j_n}$, with repeated indices summed. An isotropic tensor has $T^{\prime }=T$ for every such rotation.

For rank two, $T=RT{R}^T$. A half-turn about a coordinate axis, obtained by applying a quarter-turn twice, reverses each off-diagonal component with exactly one index on that axis. Invariance forces every off-diagonal entry to vanish. A quarter-turn about the third axis exchanges $T_{11}$ and $T_{22}$; quarter-turns about the other axes equate them with $T_{33}$. Thus the isotropic second-rank tensor isConversely $R(\lambda I)R^T=\lambda I$, proving sufficiency.

Let $Q$ be the orthogonal matrix taking old components to new ones, so $x_i^{\prime }=Q_{ip}{x}_p$. With repeated indices summed, the tensor component transformation law isAn isotropic tensor has the same components after every proper rotation. Since $Q_{ip}{Q}_{jp}={\delta }_{ij}$, the Kronecker delta is invariant. Applying this identity to each factor shows that $a{\delta }_{ij}$ and every linear combination $b{\delta }_{ij}{\delta }_{kl}+c{\delta }_{ik}{\delta }_{jl}+d{\delta }_{il}{\delta }_{jk}$ are invariant as well.

To show that an isotropic second-rank tensor must be scalar, start with any matrix $t$, without assuming symmetry. Invariance under quarter-turns about axes 1 and 2 implies invariance under their squares, the half-turnsThe first forces $t_{12},t_{21},t_{13},t_{31}$ to vanish. The second also forces $t_{23},t_{32}$ to vanish. The matrix is therefore diagonal. A quarter-turn about axis 1 interchanges its 22 and 33 entries; one about axis 2 interchanges its 11 and 33 entries. All three must agree, giving $t=aI$.

A rotation preserves the ball $V_R$, $|x{|}^2$ and the volume element. Changing integration variables by that rotation shows that $A$ and $B$ are isotropic tensors. Write $A_{ij}=a{\delta }_{ij}$. Taking its tensor contraction givesso $a=4\pi R^7/21$. Every permutation of the indices of $B$ leaves its integrand unchanged. Its complete symmetry therefore makes all three isotropic coefficients equal, say $d$:Double contraction gives $15d=B_{iikk}={\int }_{V_R}|x{|}^{4}dV=4\pi R^7/7$. Thus the isotropic fourth moment of a ball and its radial contraction are

Put $d=4\pi R^7/105$, so that $a=5d$. Contract $B$ with the prescribed unit vector twice:This has the spectrum of a scalar matrix plus a rank-one projector. In the direction $n$, the outer product $n{n}^T$ acts as the identity; on the plane perpendicular to $n$, it acts as zero. ThereforeAny nonzero multiple of $n$ is a parallel eigenvector, and any nonzero vector in the perpendicular plane is a transverse eigenvector. The transverse eigenvalue has multiplicity two; an orthonormal basis of that plane completes a set of principal axes.

For a Cartesian change of components $x_i^{\prime }=R_{ij}{x}_j$, a rank-$n$ tensor transforms according towith repeated indices summed. An isotropic tensor has unchanged components under every proper rotation matrix.

For rank two write $T^{\prime }=RT{R}^T$. Invariance under quarter-turns implies invariance under their squares, the coordinate half-turnsEach off-diagonal entry changes sign under at least one of these, so all off-diagonal entries vanish. A quarter-turn about the third axis then interchanges the first two diagonal entries, making them equal; a quarter-turn about the first axis equates the other two. ThereforeConversely $R(\lambda I)R^T=\lambda I$ for every rotation. This proves the isotropic second-rank tensor classification without assuming that the original tensor was symmetric. Also $\lambda =T_{kk}/3$ is a scalar, since the trace is rotation-invariant.

Under a proper rotation matrix $R$, the product of coordinates transforms as a rank-$n$ tensor. The unit ball is unchanged by the substitution $\mathbf{y}=R\mathbf{x}$, whose Jacobian determinant is one. HenceThus $S$ is an isotropic tensor. An isotropic second-rank tensor has the form $S_{ij}=A{\delta }_{ij}$. Taking the trace and using spherical coordinates,Therefore the isotropic second moment of a ball isAn isotropic third-rank tensor has the form $B{ϵ}_{ijk}$, but $S_{ijk}$ is symmetric in every pair of indices, forcing $B=0$. Alternatively, $\mathbf{x}\mapsto -\mathbf{x}$ makes its integrand odd on the ball. Thus

Choose an orthonormal basis with $\mathbf{n}={\mathbf{e}}_3$. A half-turn about $\mathbf{n}$ kills all mixed axial-transverse components. Commutation with a quarter-turn makes the transverse block a scalar identity matrix plus an antisymmetric matrix. The resulting oriented-axis invariant Cartesian tensor, in coordinate-free form, iswith real constants $a,d,h$. The Kronecker delta, the outer product $n_i{n}_j$, and the displayed Levi-Civita symbol contraction are invariant under every proper rotation about $\mathbf{n}$, so this form is also sufficient. In the chosen basis,The antisymmetric part must be retained unless further symmetry is imposed.

Decompose the electric field as $\mathbf{E}={\mathbf{E}}_{\perp }+{\mathbf{E}}_{\parallel }$, where ${\mathbf{E}}_{\parallel }=(\mathbf{n}\cdot \mathbf{E})\mathbf{n}$. The electric current density isFor a nonzero real electric field, the alignment of current and field in an axisymmetric conductor gives the complete classification of collinearity:

For completeness, if ${\mathbf{E}}_{\perp }\ne 0$ and $\mathbf{J}=\lambda \mathbf{E}$, taking the dot product with $\mathbf{n}\times {\mathbf{E}}_{\perp }$ forces $h=0$. The transverse equation then gives $\lambda =a$, while a nonzero axial component gives $\lambda =d$. This proves there are no missing directions. Zero current is included as the zero scalar multiple; if “parallel” requires a direction for $\mathbf{J}$, exclude cases where that scalar is zero. For a strictly anisotropic crystal the last possibility is absent.

Let $J_{ij}={\int }_B{x}_i{x}_j{d}^{3}x$. Rotational symmetry makes $J$ an isotropic second-rank tensor, so $J_{ij}=C{\delta }_{ij}$. Contracting the indices and integrating in spherical coordinates givesThe isotropic second moment of a ball therefore givesOnly the scalar part of $M$ contributes; its antisymmetric tensor and symmetric-traceless parts give zero.