On a possible dynamical symmetry in diamagnetism

Abstract

Simple theoretical calculations on atomic diamagnetism are presented and compared with heuristic arguments. The existence of exponentially small anticrossings of energy levels in the B field diagram as pointed out recently is confirmed, and tentatively discussed in terms of general theorems of classical mechanics. Conjectures on conservation of nodal surfaces between the low and high field limits are shown to violate our results in the low field Coulomb limit.