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    LAPLACE

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    LAPLACE

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    185 views2 pages

    The Laplacian

    Uploaded by

    y_m_algbali
    LAPLACE

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 2

    9/16/2005 The Laplacian.

    doc 1/2

    The Laplacian
    Another differential operator used in electromagnetics is the
    Laplacian operator. There is both a scalar Laplacian operator,
    and a vector Laplacian operator. Both operations, however, are
    expressed in terms of derivative operations that we have
    already studied !

    The Scalar Laplacian

    The scalar Laplacian is simply the divergence of the gradient of


    a scalar field:
    g ( r )

    The scalar Laplacian therefore both operates on a scalar field


    and results in a scalar field.

    Often, the Laplacian is denoted as 2 , i.e.:

    2 g ( r )  g ( r )

    From the expressions of divergence and gradient, we find that


    the scalar Laplacian is expressed in Cartesian coordinates as:

    2 g ( r ) 2 g ( r ) 2 g ( r )
    g (r ) =
    2
    + +
    x 2 y 2 z 2

    Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS


    9/16/2005 The Laplacian.doc 2/2

    The scalar Laplacian can likewise be expressed in cylindrical and


    spherical coordinates; results given on page 53 of your book.

    The Vector Laplacian

    The vector Laplacian, denoted as 2A ( r ) , both operates on a


    vector field and results in a vector field, and is defined as:

    2A ( r )  ( A ( r ) ) xxA ( r )

    Q: Yikes! Why the heck is this mess referred to as the


    Laplacian ?!?

    A: If we evaluate the above expression for a vector


    expressed in the Cartesian coordinate system, we find that
    the vector Laplacian is:

    2A ( r ) = 2Ax ( r ) ax + 2Ay ( r ) ay + 2Az ( r ) az

    In other words, we evaluate the vector Laplacian by evaluating


    the scalar Laplacian of each Cartesian scalar component!

    However, expressing the vector Laplacian in the cylindrical or


    spherical coordinate systems is not so straightforwarduse
    instead the definition shown above!

    Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

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