Field Decomposition – Working with Electromagnetic Radiation and Vector Fields

electromagnetic-radiationelectromagnetismmultipole-expansionspherical harmonicsVector Fields

I'm trying to follow a text I found online.
The author decomposes EM fields such

$$
\mathbf{E} = \sum_{lm}\left(f_l(r) \mathbf{Y}_{lm} – i \frac{l(l+1)}{r} g_l(r) \mathbf{\Psi}_{lm} – i\left(\frac{d g_l(r)}{dr} + \frac{g_l(r)}{r} \right) \mathbf{\Phi}_{lm}\right) e^{-i\omega t}
$$

$$
\mathbf{B} = \sum_{lm}\left(g_l(r) \mathbf{Y}_{lm} + i \frac{l(l+1)}{r} f_l(r) \mathbf{\Psi}_{lm} + i\left(\frac{d f_l(r)}{dr} + \frac{f_l(r)}{r} \right) \mathbf{\Phi}_{lm}\right)e^{-i\omega t}
$$

Where the functions are defined as
$$
\mathbf{\Phi}_{lm} = r \mathbf{\hat r} \times \mathbf{\nabla} Y_{lm}
$$

$$
\mathbf{\Psi}_{lm} = r \mathbf{\nabla} Y_{lm}
$$

$$
\mathbf{Y}_{lm} = Y_{lm} \mathbf{\hat r}
$$

where $\mathbf{\hat r}$ is the position unit vector $\mathbf{\hat r} = \mathbf{r}/r$, $Y_{lm}$ are the vector spherical harmonics (the arguments $\theta, \phi$ are omnitted), $f_l(r),g_l(r)$ are "good behaving" radial functions and $\mathbf{\nabla}$ is the gradient.

Now the author states, that using the equations
$$
\mathbf{\hat r} \times \mathbf{E} = 0
$$

$$
\mathbf{\hat r} \cdot \mathbf{B} = 0
$$

and by utilising the Spherical harmonic orthogonality we get
$$
f_l(r) = 0
$$

$$
\frac{d g_l(r)}{dr} = 0
$$

But this doesn't work for me , I always get
$$
\frac{dg_l(r)}{dr} + r g_l(r) = 0
$$

Could someone check the answer with me or prove me wrong?
For further reading on the Functions $(\mathbf{Y},\mathbf{\Psi},\mathbf{\Phi})$ please refer to this text.

Best Answer

Using: $$ \mathbf{\hat r}\times \mathbf \Phi_{lm} = -\mathbf \Psi_{lm} $$ $$ \mathbf{\hat r}\times \mathbf \Psi_{lm} = \mathbf \Phi_{lm} $$ $$ \mathbf{\hat r}\times \mathbf Y_{lm} = 0 $$ I get from $\mathbf{\hat r}\times \mathbf E=0$ at the boundary and the independence of the harmonic functions: $$ \frac{g_l}{r}=\frac{dg_l}{dr}+\frac{g_l}{r}=0 $$ which gives $\frac{dg_l}{dr}=0$.

Note that you second boundary condition, $\mathbf{\hat r}\cdot \mathbf B = 0$ using: $$ \mathbf{\hat r}\cdot \mathbf \Phi_{lm} =\mathbf{\hat r}\cdot \mathbf \Psi_{lm} = 0 $$ $$ \mathbf{\hat r}\cdot \mathbf Y_{lm} = Y_{lm} $$ gives only $g_l=0$ at the boundary.

There is no condition on $f_l$ based on what you've given us. Are you sure you gathered all the information, and you don't have a typo? What is your reference?

Hope this helps and tell me if something's not clear.