The ambiguity of the atomic magnetization

摘要

The current density and magnetization is calculated in the ground state and the lowest-lying 4f state of a hydrogen atom. The ambiguity of the magnetization inherent in the gauge freedom in the defining equation curl M = j is shown to allow widely different and often unphysical patterns. The commonly used Trammell gauge and the recently recommended most nearly collinear gauge are also found to have some contra-intutitive features.