Theory of Electromagnetic Pulses (Second Edition)

by John Lekner

Overview

This short monograph presents the theory of electromagnetic pulses in a simple and physical way. All pulses discussed are exact localized solutions of the Maxwell equations, and have finite energy, momentum and angular momentum. There are eight chapters: on Fundamentals, Solutions of the Wave Equation, Electromagnetic Pulses, Angular Momentum, Lorentz Transformation of pulses, Chirality, Polarization, and a final one summarizing and comparing various electromagnetic pulses and their properties. Eighteen Appendices cover mathematical or associated aspects. The subject matter is restricted to free-space classical electrodynamics, but contact is made with quantum theory in proofs that causal pulses are equivalent to superpositions of photons.

Key Features:

• Explains a rigorous, first-principles (from Maxwell’s equations) theory of electromagnetic pulses
• Contains exact solutions, all having have finite energy, momentum, and angular momentum
• Includes many worked examples of TE (transverse electric), TM (transverse magnetic) and more complicated pulses
• Includes a new chapter on chiral properties of electromagnetic pulses

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780750361293
Publisher:	Institute of Physics Publishing
Publication date:	12/05/2024
Series:	IOP Series in Electromagnetics and Metamaterials
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	220
File size:	23 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

John Lekner is Emeritus Professor of theoretical physics at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. After an MSc at the University of Auckland and PhD at the University of Chicago, he taught at the Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge, where he was also Fellow and Tutor in Physics at Emmanuel College. He has worked in statistical physics, electromagnetism, quantum theory and fluid mechanics. He is the author of 170 papers and of the books "Theory of Reflection" (2ed, Springer 2016), "Electrostatics of conducting cylinders and spheres" (AIP Publishing 2021), and "Theory of electromagnetic beams" (Springer 2022).

Table of Contents

Preface

Author biography

1 Fundamentals

2 Solutions of the wave equation

3 Electromagnetic pulses

4 Angular momentum

5 Lorentz transformation of pulses

6 Chirality

7 Polarization

8 Summary and comparison of pulse properties