  In experiments the distinction between spin-torque and Oersted-field driven
magnetization dynamics is still an open problem. Here, the gyroscopic motion of
current- and field-driven magnetic vortices in small thin-film elements is
investigated by analytical calculations and by numerical simulations. It is
found that for small harmonic excitations the vortex core performs an
elliptical rotation around its equilibrium position. The global phase of the
rotation and the ratio between the semi-axes are determined by the frequency
and the amplitude of the Oersted field and the spin torque.
