Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2006 / iii / Paper 74 / 1 / i

Write $D_t={\partial }_t+\mathbf{u}\cdot \nabla$ for the material derivative. The resistive induction equation, together with the solenoidal conditions on both fields, isSince $D_t\mathbf{x}=\mathbf{u}$, the product rule givesAlso $\Delta P=\mathbf{x}\cdot \Delta \mathbf{B}+2\nabla \cdot \mathbf{B}=\mathbf{x}\cdot \Delta \mathbf{B}$. Substitution proves the radial magnetic induction scalar equation:

In the insulating exterior the quasistatic magnetic field is current-free, so $\nabla \times \mathbf{B}=0$ and $\nabla \cdot \mathbf{B}=0$. Thus $\Delta \mathbf{B}=0$ and $\Delta P=0$ for $r>a$, with decay at infinity for an isolated field. This is an instantaneous exterior Laplace equation, rather than a diffusion equation with the interior value of $\eta$.

Use the usual nonmagnetic-interface assumptions: equal magnetic permeability on both sides and no surface current. The electromagnetic boundary conditions then make $B_r$ and the tangential magnetic field continuous. Hence $P=r{B}_r$ is continuous. In spherical coordinates, the solenoidal magnetic-field constraint readswhere the last term is the angular divergence on the unit sphere. Its right-hand side is also continuous, giving the insulating boundary condition for the radial magnetic scalar:Equivalently, the decaying exterior degree-$l$ spherical harmonic is proportional to $r^{-(l+1)}$, so its boundary amplitude satisfies ${\partial }_r{P}_{lm}(a)=-(l+1)P_{lm}(a)/a$.