Static magnetic fields in vacuum

Abstract

Wherever possible, an attempt has been made to structure this chapter along similar lines to Chapter 2 (its electrostatic counterpart). Maxwell’s magnetostatic equations are derived from Ampere’s experimental law of force. These results, along with the Biot–Savart law, are then used to determine the magnetic field B arising from various stationary current distributions. The magnetic vector potential A emerges naturally during our discussion, and it features prominently in questions throughout the remainder of this book. Also mentioned is the magnetic scalar potential. Although of lesser theoretical significance than the vector potential, the magnetic scalar potential can sometimes be an effective problem-solving device. Some examples of this are provided. This chapter concludes by making a multipole expansion of A and introducing the magnetic multipole moments of a bounded distribution of stationary currents. Several applications involving magnetic dipoles and magnetic quadrupoles are given.