Laplace expansion (potential): Difference between revisions

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In physics, the '''Laplace expansion''' of a 1/''r'' - type potential is applied to expand [[ Newton's gravitational potential]] or [[Coulomb's electrostatic potential]]. In quantum mechanical calculations on atoms the expansion  is used in the evaluation of integrals of the interelectronic repulsion.
In physics, the '''Laplace expansion''' of a 1/''r'' - type potential is applied to expand [[ Newton's gravitational potential]] or [[Coulomb's electrostatic potential]]. In quantum mechanical calculations on atoms the expansion  is used in the evaluation of integrals of the interelectronic repulsion.


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(-1)^m  I^{-m}_\ell(\mathbf{r}) R^{m}_\ell(\mathbf{r}')\quad\hbox{with}\quad |\mathbf{r}| > |\mathbf{r}'|,
(-1)^m  I^{-m}_\ell(\mathbf{r}) R^{m}_\ell(\mathbf{r}')\quad\hbox{with}\quad |\mathbf{r}| > |\mathbf{r}'|,
</math>
</math>
where <math>I^{m}_\ell</math> is an irregular solid harmonic and <math>R^{m}_\ell</math> is a regular solid harmonic.
where <math>R^{m}_\ell</math> is a ''regular solid harmonic'':
:<math>
R^m_{\ell}(\mathbf{r}) \equiv \sqrt{\frac{4\pi}{2\ell+1}}\; r^\ell Y^m_{\ell}(\theta,\varphi),
</math>
and <math>I^{m}_\ell</math> is an ''irregular solid harmonic'':
:<math>
I^m_{\ell}(\mathbf{r}) \equiv \sqrt{\frac{4\pi}{2\ell+1}} \; \frac{ Y^m_{\ell}(\theta,\varphi)}{r^{\ell+1}} .
</math>


==Derivation==
==Derivation==
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\frac{1}{\sqrt{1 + h^2 - 2 h \cos\gamma}} = \sum_{\ell=0}^\infty h^\ell P_\ell(\cos\gamma).
\frac{1}{\sqrt{1 + h^2 - 2 h \cos\gamma}} = \sum_{\ell=0}^\infty h^\ell P_\ell(\cos\gamma).
</math>
</math>
Use of the [[Spherical multipole moments#Spherical multipole moments of a point charge|spherical harmonic addition theorem]]  
Use of the [[Spherical harmonics#Spherical harmonic addition theorem|spherical harmonic addition theorem]]  
:<math>
:<math>
P_{\ell}(\cos \gamma) = \frac{4\pi}{2\ell + 1} \sum_{m=-\ell}^{\ell}  
P_{\ell}(\cos \gamma) = \frac{4\pi}{2\ell + 1} \sum_{m=-\ell}^{\ell} (-1)^m
Y^{-m}_{\ell}(\theta, \varphi)  Y^m_{\ell}(\theta', \varphi')
Y^{-m}_{\ell}(\theta, \varphi)  Y^m_{\ell}(\theta', \varphi')
</math>
</math>
gives the desired result.
gives the desired result.[[Category:Suggestion Bot Tag]]

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In physics, the Laplace expansion of a 1/r - type potential is applied to expand Newton's gravitational potential or Coulomb's electrostatic potential. In quantum mechanical calculations on atoms the expansion is used in the evaluation of integrals of the interelectronic repulsion.

The expansion

The Laplace expansion is in fact the expansion of the inverse distance between two points. Let the points have position vectors r and r', then the Laplace expansion is

Here r has the spherical polar coordinates (r, θ, φ) and r' has ( r', θ', φ'). Further r< is min(r, r') and r> is max(r, r'). The function is a normalized spherical harmonic function. The expansion takes a simpler form when written in terms of solid harmonics,

where is a regular solid harmonic:

and is an irregular solid harmonic:

Derivation

The derivation of this expansion is simple. One writes

We find here the generating function of the Legendre polynomials  :

Use of the spherical harmonic addition theorem

gives the desired result.