Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2006 / ia / Paper 3 / 12A / Solution

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.