Lectures on Electromagnetic Fields Dr.

Moretadha Alghanimy

CURL
There is an additional property of fields called circulation, which is
defined as a line integral of the field around a closed contour.
�⃑ . 𝑑𝑙̂
Circulation = � 𝐻
𝐶

To illustrate, have a look at Fig. a. For case a) we observe that the

circulation= 0, or mathematically,
𝑏 𝑐
circulation = � 𝐻𝑥0 𝑎�𝑥 ∙ 𝑑𝑥𝑎�𝑥 + � 𝐻𝑥0 𝑎�𝑥 ∙ 𝑑𝑦𝑎�𝑦
𝑎 𝑏
𝑑 𝑎
+ � −𝐻𝑥0 𝑎�𝑥 ∙ 𝑑𝑥𝑎�𝑥 + � 𝐻𝑥0 𝑎�𝑥 ∙ 𝑑𝑦𝑎�𝑦
𝑐 𝑑
where ∆𝑥 = 𝑏 − 𝑐 = 𝑐 − 𝑑 and recall, 𝑎�𝑥 ∙ 𝑎�𝑦 = 0.
⇒ Circulation of a uniform field is zero.
Case b) shows magnetic field induced by current I (what is the best
coordinate system to use?). Field lines are concentric circles around
the current source.

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Lectures on Electromagnetic Fields Dr. Moretadha Alghanimy

𝐼
�⃑ =
𝐻 𝑎�
2𝜋𝑟 𝜙

Suppose we have a circular contour of radius 𝑟 then the differential

length vector is 𝑑𝑙 = 𝑟𝑑𝜙𝑎�𝜙 so that circulation of 𝐻 �⃑ around the
contour is
2𝜋
𝐼
�⃑ ̂
Circulation = � 𝐻 . 𝑑𝑙 = � 𝑎�𝜙 ∙ 𝑟𝑑𝜙𝑎�𝜙 = 𝐼
0 2𝜋𝑟
𝐶
This circulation is not zero, but what about other contours? Any
contour in planes that are perpendicular to the 𝑥 − 𝑦 plane would
have = 0 (because the differential length would not have a 𝜙
component). Also, the direction of contour determines the sign of
circulation. The curl (rotor) operator is used to describe the
circulation of a vector field. It is denoted as curl 𝐻�⃑ or ∇ × 𝐻
�⃑.
1
∇×𝐻 �⃑ = 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑙 𝐻�⃑ ≜ lim �⃑ . 𝑑𝑙̂�
�𝑎�𝑛 � 𝐻
∆𝑠→0 ∆𝑠
𝐶 𝑚𝑎𝑥
curl 𝐻�⃑ is the circulation of 𝐻 �⃑ per unit area, with the area ∆𝑠 of the
contour C being oriented such that the circulation is maximum. The
direction of curl 𝐻 �⃑ is 𝑎�𝑛 , which is normal to ∆𝑠 using the right hand
rule. This means that the circulation of the Curl describes the
rotation of a 3D field, in an infinitesimal sense.
The physical interpretation of the Curl can be described as:
Consider a vector field F that represents a fluid velocity, the curl of
F at a point in a fluid is a measure of the rotation of the fluid. If there
is no rotation of fluid anywhere then ∇ x F = 0. Such a vector field is
said to be irrotational or conservative.
Let us consider the circulation of 𝐻 �⃑ over a small rectangle
parallel to the 𝑥-𝑦 plane, with sides ∆𝑥, ∆𝑦 and with the point
(𝑥 , 𝑦 , 𝑧 ) at the center as shown in figure below.

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Lectures on Electromagnetic Fields Dr. Moretadha Alghanimy

We assume that some current, as yet unspecified, produces a

reference value for H at the center of this small rectangle,
�⃑ = 𝐻𝑥 𝑎�𝑥 + 𝐻𝑦 𝑎�𝑦 + 𝐻𝑧 𝑎�𝑧
𝐻
The closed line integral of H about this path is then approximately
the sum of the four values of 𝐻 · ∆𝑙̂ on each side. We choose the
direction of traverse as 1-2-3-4-1.
2 2
∆𝑥
�⃑ ∙ 𝑑𝑙̂ = � 𝐻𝑦 𝑎�𝑦 ∙ 𝑑𝑦𝑎�𝑦 ≃ 𝐻𝑦 �𝑥 +
𝐶1 = � 𝐻 , 𝑦, 𝑧� ∆𝑦
1 1 2
3 3
∆𝑦
�⃑ ∙ 𝑑𝑙̂ = � −𝐻𝑥 𝑎�𝑥 ∙ 𝑑𝑥𝑎�𝑥 ≃ −𝐻𝑥 �𝑥, 𝑦 +
𝐶2 = � 𝐻 , 𝑧� ∆𝑥
2 2 2
4 4
∆𝑥
�⃑ ∙ 𝑑𝑙̂ = � −𝐻𝑦 𝑎�𝑦 ∙ 𝑑𝑦𝑎�𝑦 ≃ −𝐻𝑦 �𝑥 −
𝐶3 = � 𝐻 , 𝑦, 𝑧� ∆𝑦
3 3 2
1 1
∆𝑦
�⃑ ∙ 𝑑𝑙̂ = � 𝐻𝑥 𝑎�𝑥 ∙ 𝑑𝑥𝑎�𝑥 ≃ 𝐻𝑥 �𝑥, 𝑦 −
𝐶4 = � 𝐻 , 𝑧� ∆𝑥
4 4 2

∆𝑥 ∆𝑥
𝐶1 + 𝐶3 = 𝐻𝑦 �𝑥 + , 𝑦, 𝑧� ∆𝑦−𝐻𝑦 �𝑥 − , 𝑦, 𝑧� ∆𝑦
2 2
∆𝑥 ∆𝑥
�𝐻𝑦 �𝑥 + , 𝑦, 𝑧� −𝐻𝑦 �𝑥 − , 𝑦, 𝑧��
= 2 2 ∆𝑦∆𝑥
∆𝑥

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Lectures on Electromagnetic Fields Dr. Moretadha Alghanimy

𝜕𝐻𝑦
= ∆𝑦∆𝑥
𝜕𝑥
∆𝑦 ∆𝑦
𝐶2 + 𝐶4 = −𝐻𝑥 �𝑥, 𝑦 + , 𝑧� ∆𝑥 + 𝐻𝑥 �𝑥, 𝑦 − , 𝑧� ∆𝑥
2 2
∆𝑦 ∆𝑦
�𝐻𝑥 �𝑥, 𝑦 + , 𝑧� − 𝐻𝑥 �𝑥, 𝑦 − , 𝑧��
=− 2 2 ∆𝑥∆𝑦
∆𝑦
𝜕𝐻𝑥
=− ∆𝑦∆𝑥
𝜕𝑦
𝜕𝐻𝑦 𝜕𝐻𝑥
𝐶1 + 𝐶2 + 𝐶3 + 𝐶4 = � − � ∆𝑠
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦

where ∆𝑠 = ∆𝑥∆𝑦 and the normal vector on the ∆𝑠 is 𝑎�𝑧 , then

1 𝜕𝐻𝑦 𝜕𝐻𝑥
�⃑� = lim
�∇ × 𝐻 �⃑ . 𝑑𝑙̂�
�𝑎�𝑧 � 𝐻 = 𝐽𝑧 𝑎�𝑧 = � − � 𝑎�𝑧
𝑎� 𝑧 ∆𝑠→0 ∆𝑠 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦
𝐶 𝑚𝑎𝑥

�⃑� and �∇ × 𝐻
In similar manner, one can find �∇ × 𝐻 �⃑� such that
𝑎� 𝑎�𝑥 𝑦

𝜕𝐻 𝜕𝐻
�⃑� = 𝐽𝑥 𝑎�𝑥 = � 𝑧 − 𝑦 � 𝑎�𝑥
�∇ × 𝐻 𝑎�𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧

𝜕𝐻𝑥 𝜕𝐻𝑧
�⃑� = 𝐽𝑦 𝑎�𝑦 = �
�∇ × 𝐻 − � 𝑎�𝑦
𝑎� 𝑦 𝜕𝑧 𝜕𝑥
𝜕𝐻 𝜕𝐻 𝜕𝐻 𝜕𝐻 𝜕𝐻 𝜕𝐻
�⃑ = 𝐽⃑ = � 𝑧 − 𝑦 � 𝑎�𝑥 + � 𝑥 − 𝑧 � 𝑎�𝑦 + � 𝑦 − 𝑥 � 𝑎�𝑧
∇×𝐻
𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧 𝜕𝑧 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦

�⃑ = 𝐽⃑ is the point form of Ampere's circuital law and the

where ∇ × 𝐻
second of Maxwell’s four equations as they apply to non-time-
varying conditions
Since
�⃑ . 𝑑𝑙̂ = 𝐼 and 𝐼 = � 𝐽⃑ . 𝑑𝑠� = � ∇ × �𝐻
�𝐻 �⃑ . 𝑑𝑠� ⇒
𝑆 𝑆
𝐶

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Lectures on Electromagnetic Fields Dr. Moretadha Alghanimy

�⃑ . 𝑑𝑙̂ = � ∇ × �𝐻
�𝐻 �⃑ . 𝑑𝑠�
𝑆
𝐶
𝑎�𝑥 𝑎�𝑦 𝑎�𝑧
𝜕 𝜕 𝜕
�⃑ = ��
∇×𝐻 �� (Cartezian)
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧
𝐻𝑥 𝐻𝑦 𝐻𝑧

The expressions for curl H in cylindrical and spherical coordinates

are
𝑎�𝜌 𝑎�𝑧
𝑎�𝜙
�𝜌 𝜌�
�⃑ = 𝜕
∇×𝐻 𝜕 𝜕 (cylindrical)
� �
𝜕𝜌 𝜕𝜙 𝜕𝑧
𝐻𝜌 𝜌𝐻𝜙 𝐻𝑧

𝑎�𝑟 𝑎�𝜃 𝑎�𝜙

2
�𝑟 sin 𝜃 𝑟 sin 𝜃 𝑟 �
�⃑ =
∇×𝐻 𝜕 𝜕 𝜕 (spherical)
� 𝜕𝑟 𝜕𝜃 𝜕𝜙 �
𝐻𝑟 𝑟𝐻𝜃 𝑟 sin 𝜃 𝐻𝜙

Note the following properties of the Curl:

1. The curl of a vector field is another vector field.

2. The curl of a scalar field 𝑉, ∇ × 𝑉, makes no sense.
�⃑� = ∇ × 𝐴⃑ + ∇ × 𝐵
3. ∇ × �𝐴⃑ + 𝐵 �⃑.
�⃑� = 𝐴⃑�𝛻 ∙ 𝐵
4. ∇ × �𝐴⃑ × 𝐵 �⃑�∇ ∙ 𝐴⃑� + �𝐵
�⃑� − 𝐵 �⃑ ∙ ∇�𝐴⃑ − �𝐴⃑ ∙ ∇�𝐵
�⃑ .
5. ∇ × �𝑉𝐴⃑� = 𝑉∇ × 𝐴⃑ + ∇𝑉 × 𝐴⃑.
6. The divergence of the Curl of a vector field vanishes, that is,
∇ ∙ �∇ × 𝐴⃑� = 0
7. The Curl of the gradient of a scalar field vanishes, that is, ∇ ×
∇𝑉 = 0.

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