General principles of describing second- and higher-order null points of a potential magnetic field in 3D

General principles of describing secondand higher-order null points of a potential magnetic field are formulated. The potential near a second-order null of the general form can be specified by a linear combination of four basic functions, the list of which is presented. Near secondand higher-order null points, field line equations often cannot be integrated analytically; however, in some cases, it is possible to present a qualitative description of the geometry of null vicinities with consideration of the behavior of field lines near rays outgoing from null, at which the field is radial or equals zero.