Image Theory for Neumann Functions in the Prolate Spheroidal Geometry

Abstract

Interior and exterior Neumann functions for the Laplace operator are derived in terms of prolate spheroidal harmonics with the homogeneous, constant, and nonconstant inhomogeneous boundary conditions. For the interior Neumann functions, an image system is developed to consist of a point image, a line image extending from the point image to infinity along the radial coordinate curve, and a symmetric surface image on the confocal prolate spheroid that passes through the point image. On the other hand, for the exterior Neumann functions, an image system is developed to consist of a point image, a focal line image of uniform density, another line image extending from the point image to the focal line along the radial coordinate curve, and also a symmetric surface image on the confocal prolate spheroid that passes through the point image.