Explicit computation of the electrostatic energy for an elliptical charged disc

This letter describes a method for obtaining an explicit expression for the electrostatic energy of a charged elliptical infinitely thin disc. The charge distribution is assumed to be polynomial. Such explicit values for this energy are fundamental for assessing the accuracy of boundary element codes. The main tools used are an extension of Copson's method and a diagonalization, given by Leppington and Levine, of the single-layer potential operator associated with the electrostatic potential created by a distribution of charges on the elliptical disc. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.