This paper inspects more closely the problem of the momentum and energy of a bound (non-radiating) electromagnetic (EM) field. It has been shown that for an isolated system of non-relativistic mechanically free charged particles a transformation of mechanical to EM momentum and vice versa occurs in accordance with the requirement PG=const, where PG is the canonical momentum. If such a system contains bound charges, fixed on insulators then, according to the assumption of a number of authors, a so-called "hidden" momentum can contribute into the total momentum of the system. The problem of "hidden momentum" (pro and contra) is also examined in the paper, as well as the law of conservation of total energy for different static configurations of the system "magnetic dipole plus charged particle". Analyzing two expressions for electromagnetic momentum of a bound EM field, qA and the Poynting expression, we emphasize that they coincide with each other for quasi-static configurations, but give a discrepancy for rapid dynamical processes. We conclude that neither the first, nor the second expressions provide a continuous implementation of the momentum conservation law. Finally, we consider the energy flux in a bound EM field, using the Umov vector. It has been shown that Umov vector can be directly derived from Maxwell equations. A new form of the momentum-energy tensor, which explicitly unites the mechanical and EM masses, has been proposed.
This paper deals with the old yet unsolved problem of defining and evaluating the stored electromagnetic energy - a quantity essential for calculating the quality factor, which reflects the intrinsic bandwidth of the considered electromagnetic system. A novel paradigm is proposed to determine the stored energy in the time domain leading to the method, which exhibits positive semi-definiteness and coordinate independence, i.e. two key properties actually not met by the contemporary approaches. The proposed technique is compared with two up-to-date frequency domain methods that are extensively u…
From electromagnetic wave equations, it is first found that, mathematically, any current density that emits an electromagnetic wave into the far-field region has to be differentiable in time infinitely, and that while the odd-order time derivatives of the current density are built in the emitted electric field, the even-order derivatives are built in the emitted magnetic field. With the help of Faraday's law and Ampere's law, light propagation is then explained as a process involving alternate creation of electric and magnetic fields. From this explanation, the preceding mathematical result is…
The present article uncovers a common mistake in many college physics textbooks, specifically, on its presentation and interpretation about generation and propagation of electromagnetic waves. It is found that the electric field in the popular presentation is not the radiating field, but static field, contrary to the book authors' presentations. The static field and the radiating field are fundamentally different fields, as one propagates out and one not. The two fields point in opposite direction so the figures used to illustrate the radiation field and its description in the books are wrong.…
It is shown that the well-known disparity in classical electrodynamics between the power radiated in electromagnetic fields and the power-loss, as calculated from the radiation reaction on a charge undergoing a non-uniform motion, is successfully resolved when a proper distinction is made between quantities expressed in terms of a "real time" and those expressed in terms of a retarded time. It is shown that the expression for the real-time radiative power loss from a charged particle is somewhat different from the familiar Larmor's formula, or in a relativistic case, from Liénard's formula.
Though commonly used to calculate Q-factor and fractional bandwidth, the energy stored by radiating systems (antennas) is a subtle and challenging concept that has perplexed researchers for over half a century. Here, the obstacles in defining and calculating stored energy in general electromagnetic systems are presented from first principles as well as using demonstrative examples from electrostatics, circuits, and radiating systems. Along the way, the concept of unobservable energy is introduced to formalize such challenges. Existing methods of defining stored energy in radiating systems are …
New expressions are derived to calculate the Q factor of a radiating device. The resulting relations link Q based on the frequency change of the input impedance at the input port (Qx, Qz) with expressions based solely on the current distribution on an radiating device. The question of which energies of a radiating system are observable is reviewed, and then the proposed Q factor as defined in this paper is physical. The derivation is based on potential theory rather than fields. This approach hence automatically eliminates all divergent integrals associated with electromagnetic energies in inf…
Radiative Reactions and Coherence Modeling in the High Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse
峰值场强为5 x 10^4 V/m的高空核电磁脉冲（EMP）携带的动量会对平均康普顿电子（相干辐射产生波形）产生阻滞力，其大小接近产生相干辐射的地磁力。减速力是由自场效应引起的。康普顿电子与由于其他电子而产生的自生磁场的相互作用解释了传播波中的动量密度;与自生电场的相互作用解释了传播波中的能通量密度。辐射的相干加法也定量建模。
Infinitesimal electric and magnetic dipoles are widely used as an equivalent radiating source model. In this paper, an improved method for dipole extraction from magnitude-only electromagnetic-field data based on genetic algorithm and back-and-forth iteration algorithm [1] is proposed. Compared with conventional back-and-forth iteration algorithm, this method offers an automatic flow to extract the equivalent dipoles without prior decision of the type, position, orientation and number of dipoles. It can be easily applied to electromagnetic-field data on arbitrarily shaped surfaces and minimize…
The electromagnetic fields of linear radiating systems working without dispersive and dissipative losses are analyzed both in the time and the frequency domains. In the case of the time domain radiating system, the parameter studied is the action, A, associated with the radiation. The action is defined as the product of the energy and the duration of the radiation. In the case of the frequency domain radiating system, which produces radiation in bursts of duration T/2 where T is the period of oscillation, the parameter studied is the energy, U, dissipated in a single burst of radiation of dura…
Spatial coordinate transformation is used as a reliable tool to control electromagnetic fields. In this paper, we derive the permeability and permittivity tensors of a metamaterial able to transform an isotropically radiating source into a compact ultradirective antenna in the microwave domain. We show that the directivity of this antenna is competitive with regard to conventional directive antennas horn and reflector antennas, besides its dimensions are smaller. Numerical simulations using finite element method are performed to illustrate these properties. A reduction in the electromagnetic m…
We propose an antenna designed to generate monochromatic electromagnetic knots and other "unusual electromagnetic disturbances" in the microwave domain. Our antenna is a spherical array of radiating dipolar elements configured to approximate the desired electromagnetic field near its centre. We show numerically that a specific embodiment of the antenna with a radius of 61.2 cm and only 20 element pairs driven at a frequency of 2.45 GHz can yield linked and torus-knotted electric and magnetic field lines approximating those of an "electromagnetic tangle": a monochromatic electromagnetic knot cl…
We report a new energy conservation law for time-harmonic electromagnetic fields, which is valid for an arbitrary medium. In contrast to the well-established Poynting theorem for time-harmonic fields, the real part of the new energy conservation law gives an equation for the sum of stored electric and magnetic field energies and the imaginary part involves an equation related to the difference between the dissipated electric and magnetic energies. Universally applicable expressions for both the electric and magnetic field energies have been obtained and demonstrated to be valuable in character…
The most general expressions of the stored energies for time-harmonic electromagnetic fields are derived from the time-domain Poynting theorem, and are valuable in characterizing the energy storage and transport properties of complex media. A new energy conservation law for the time-harmonic electromagnetic fields, which involves the derived general expressions of the stored energies, is introduced. In contrast to the well-established Poynting theorem for time-harmonic fields, the real part of the new energy conservation law gives an equation for the sum of stored electric and magnetic field e…
It is proposed a natural and consistent division of the momentum of electromagnetic waves in linear, non-dispersive and non-absorptive dielectric and magnetic media into material and electromagnetic parts. The material part is calculated using directly the Lorentz force law and the electromagnetic momentum density has the same form than in vacuum, without an explicit dependence on the properties of the media. The consistency of the treatment is verified through the obtention of a correct momentum balance equation in many examples and showing the compatibility of the division with the Einstein'…
From the energy-momentum tensors of the electromagnetic field and the mechanical energy-momentum, the equations of energy conservation and balance of electromagnetic and mechanical forces are obtained. The equation for the Abraham force in a dielectric medium with losses is obtained
We present an elementary discussion of the momentum transferred to a conducting sheet by an electromagnetic wave propagating in a polarizable medium. We show that conservation of momentum is consistent with Minkowski's expression for the momentum density.
The incorporation of a relativistic momentum of a nonelectromagnetic nature into macroscopic problems of electrodynamics obviates the lack of correspondence between the electromagnetic mass and the electromagnetic momentum of macroscopic bodies, allowing, in particular, the resolution of the well-known 4/3 paradox.
The article describes a new approach to obtaining the energy-momentum tensor of electromagnetic field in medium without the use of Maxwell's equations and Poynting theorem. The energy-momentum tensor has new qualities and consequences. Its linear invariant is Lagrange density of the electromagnetic field. From the tensor follows the equation of conservation of energy density, the equation of flux energy density and wave equations for these energy values. Wave equation for momentum density describes simultaneous transfer of momentum and angular momentum regardless of radiation polarization. Fro…
Invoking Maxwell's classical equations in conjunction with expressions for the electromagnetic (EM) energy, momentum, force, and torque, we use a few simple examples to demonstrate the nature of the EM angular momentum. The energy and the angular momentum of an EM field will be shown to have an intimate relationship; a source radiating EM angular momentum will, of necessity, pick up an equal but opposite amount of mechanical angular momentum; and the spin and orbital angular momenta of the EM field, when absorbed by a small particle, will be seen to elicit different responses from the particle…
We consider the Einstein equation, where the common electromagnetic energy momentum tensor is replaced by its generalized equivalent as suggested in our earlier paper (A.L. Kholmetskii et al. Phys. Scr. 83, 055406 (2011)). Now we show that with this new electromagnetic energy-momentum tensor, the scalar curvature at the location of charges is significantly altered in comparison with the common result, and it even may change its sign. Some implications of the obtained results are discussed.
The total linear electromagnetic field momentum $\mathbf P_{\mathrm{em}}$ of a stationary electric dipole $\mathbf p$ in a static magnetic field $\mathbf B$ is considered. The expression $\mathbf P_{\mathrm{em}} = \frac12\mathbf B \times \mathbf p$, which has previously been implied to hold in all static magnetic field situations, is not valid in general. The contribution of the electromagnetic momentum of the fringing fields of the dipole is discussed. It is shown that when either the static magnetic field or the electric dipole moment is changed, the mechanical impulse on the system equals $…
We investigate here the question raised in literature about the correct expression for the electromagnetic field-momentum, especially when static fields are involved. For this we examine a couple of simple but intriguing cases. First we consider a system configuration in which electromagnetic field momentum is present even though the system is static. We trace the electromagnetic momentum to be present in the form of a continuous transport of electromagnetic energy from one part of the system to another, without causing any net change in the energy of the system. In a second case we show that …
We determine the invariant expression of the force density that the electromagnetic field exerts on dipolar matter and construct the non-symmetric energy-momentum tensor of the electromagnetic field in matter which is consistent with that force and with Maxwell equations. We recover Minkowski's expression for the momentum density. We use our results to discuss momentum exchange of an electromagnetic wave-packet which falls into a dielectric block. In particular we show that the wave-packet pulls the block when it enters and drags it when it leaves. The usual form of the center of mass motion t…
We present an elementary discussion of the momentum transferred by an electromagnetic wave propagating in a dispersive medium. Our analysis is based on Minkowski's electromagnetic momentum density which have been recently seen to be consistent with a fully covariant expression of the energy-momentum tensor of the electromagnetic field in a dispersive medium and with all the experimental evidence. We show that the medium may be either pulled or pushed as the electromagnetic pulse enters in it depending on the value of the frequency.
On the basis of a non-local Lagrangian for Maxwell equations in a dispersive medium, the energy-momentum tensor of the field is derived. We obtain the Field equations through variational methods and an extension of Noether theorem for a non-local Lagrangian is obtained as well. The electromagnetic energy-momentum tensor obtained in the general context is then specialized to the case of a field with slowly varying amplitude on a rapidly oscillating carrier.
The Abraham--Minkowski momentum controversy is the outwardly visible symptom of an inconsistency in the use of the energy-momentum tensor in the case of a plane quasimonochromatic field in a simple linear dielectric. We show that the Gordon form of the electromagnetic momentum is conserved in a thermodynamically closed system. We regard conservation of the components of the four-momentum in a thermodynamically closed system as a fundamental property of the energy--momentum tensor. Then the first row and column of the energy--momentum tensor is populated by the electromagnetic energy density an…
A model calculation using the Darwin Lagrangian is carried out for a magnet consisting of two current-carrying charges constrained by centripetal forces to move in a circular path in the presence of the electric field from a distant external point charge. In the limit that the magnet's two charges are non-interacting, the calculation recovers the only valid calculation for hidden mechanical momentum. However, if the magnet's charges are mutually interacting, then there is internal electromagnetic linear momentum associated with the perturbed magnet's electrostatic charge distribution and the m…
The self-force of a point charge moving on a rectilinear trajectory is obtained, with no need of any explicit removal of infinities, as the negative of the time rate of change of the momentum of its retarded self-field.
This article was published as Sec.4 of the "Roadmap on Structured Light" in Journal of Optics 19 (2017) 013001. Section 4 describes the essential elements of the classical theory of electromagnetic force and momentum.
Invoking Maxwell's classical electrodynamics in conjunction with expressions for the electromagnetic (EM) energy, momentum, force, and torque, we use a few simple examples to demonstrate the nature of linear and angular momentum exchange between a wave-packet and a small spherical particle. The linear and angular momenta of the EM field, when absorbed by the particle, will be seen to elicit different responses from the particle.
The present paper gives an interaction of electromagnetic waves with a smooth convex tri-angular obstacle and its adjacent wedge regions. We attempt to find the power of groove fields under Dirichlet conditions associated with axisymmetric electromagnetic field. A field intensity may be expressed in terms of a damped wave with a space attenuation depending on the physical parameters like conductivity, permittivity and permeability associated with an obstacle placed across the lines of force due to a given EM field. Groove field and their associated powers based on Dirichlet conditions on the g…
Classical strings coupled to a metric, a dilaton and an axion, as conceived by superstring theory, suffer from ultraviolet divergences due to self-interactions. Consequently, as in the case of radiating charged particles, the corresponding effective string dynamics can not be derived from an action principle. We propose a fundamental principle to build this dynamics, based on local energy-momentum conservation in terms of a well-defined distribution-valued energy-momentum tensor. Its continuity equation implies a finite equation of motion for self-interacting strings. The construction is carri…
To model momentum exchange in nonlinear wave-particle interaction, as in amplification devices like traveling-wave tubes, we use an $N$-body self-consistent hamiltonian description based on Kuznetsov's discrete model, and we provide new formulations for the electromagnetic power and the conserved momentum. This approach leads to fast and accurate numerical simulations in time domain and in one dimensional space.
The form of the energy-momentum tensor when a quasimonochromatic field propagates into and through an antireflection-coated, sourceless, transparent, continuous, linear magneto-dielectric medium, initially at rest in the local frame, remains controversial. The Minkowski energy-momentum tensor is the main component of the electromagnetic conservation law. It has been known for over a century that the electromagnetic conservation law is unsound as evidenced by alternative energy-momentum tensors that have been proposed to ameliorate known physical deficiencies (violation of conservation of angul…
The total momentum of a thermodynamically closed system is unique, as is the total energy. Nevertheless, there is continuing confusion concerning the correct form of the momentum and the energy-momentum tensor for an electromagnetic field interacting with a linear dielectric medium. Here we investigate the energy and momentum in a closed system composed of a propagating electromagnetic field and a negligibly reflecting dielectric. The Gordon momentum is easily identified as the total momentum by the fact that it is, by virtue of being invariant in time, conserved. We construct continuity equat…
It is shown that the mathematical form, obtained in a recent paper, for the angular momentum of the electromagnetic field in the vicinity of electric charge is equivalent to another form obtained previously by Cohen-Tannoudji, Dupont-Roc and Gilbert. In this version of the paper an improved derivation is given.
We present arguments in favor of the proposition that the momentum of light inside a transparent dielectric medium is the arithmetic average of the Minkowski and Abraham momenta. Using the Lorentz transformation of the fields (and of the coordinates) from a stationary to a moving reference frame, we show the consistent transformation of electromagnetic energy and momentum between the two frames. We also examine the momentum of static (i.e., time-independent) electromagnetic fields, and show that the close connection that exists between the Poynting vector and the momentum density extends all t…
We examine the force of the electromagnetic radiation on linear, isotropic, homogeneous media specified in terms of their permittivity epsilon and permeability mu. A formula is proposed for the electromagnetic Lorentz force on the magnetization M, which is treated here as an Amperian current loop. Using the proposed formula, we demonstrate conservation of momentum in several cases that are amenable to rigorous analysis based on the classical Maxwell equations, the Lorentz law of force, and the constitutive relations. Our analysis yields precise expressions for the density of the electromagneti…
In a previous work, Optics Communications 284 (2011) 2460--2465, we considered a dielectric medium with an anti-reflection coating and a spatially uniform index of refraction illuminated at normal incidence by a quasimonochromatic field. Using the continuity equations for the electromagnetic energy density and the Gordon momentum density, we constructed a traceless, symmetric energy--momentum tensor for the closed system. In this work, we relax the condition of a uniform index of refraction and consider a dielectric medium with a spatially varying index of refraction that is independent of tim…
We present examples of simple electromagnetic systems in which energy, linear momentum, and angular momentum exhibit interesting behavior. The systems are sufficiently simple to allow exact solutions of Maxwell's equations in conjunction with the electrodynamic laws of force, torque, energy, and momentum. In all the cases examined, conservation of energy and momentum is confirmed.
In a continuum setting, the energy-momentum tensor embodies the relations between conservation of energy, conservation of linear momentum, and conservation of angular momentum. The well-defined total energy and the well-defined total momentum in a thermodynamically closed system with complete equations of motion are used to construct the total energy-momentum tensor for a stationary simple linear material with both magnetic and dielectric properties illuminated by a quasimonochromatic pulse of light through a gradient-index antireflection coating. The perplexing issues surrounding the Abraham …
Wireless communications, radio astronomy and other radio science applications are predominantly implemented with techniques built on top of the electromagnetic linear momentum (Poynting vector) physical layer. As a supplement and/or alternative to this conventional approach, techniques rooted in the electromagnetic angular momentum physical layer have been advocated, and promising results from proof-of-concept radio communication experiments using angular momentum were recently published. This sparingly exploited physical observable describes the rotational (spinning and orbiting) physical pro…
Starting from Stratton-Panofsky-Phillips-Jefimenko equations for the electric and magnetic fields generated by completely arbitrary charge and current density distributions at rest, we derive far-zone approximations for the fields, containing all components, dominant as well as sub-dominant. Using these approximate formulas, we derive general formulas for the total electromagnetic linear momentum and angular momentum, valid at large distances from arbitrary, non-moving charge and current sources.
The problem of assigning a momentum to an electromagnetic wave packet propagating inside an insulator has become known under the name of the Abraham-Minkowski controversy. In the present paper we re-examine the question, first through a power expansion in the polarizability of the medium and assuming the simplest and most natural choice for the force exerted on a dielectric material by an electromagnetic field. It is shown that the Abraham expression is highly favoured. We then show the complete generality of these results.
After more than a century of debate, there remains continuing discomfort over what is the correct expression for the electromagnetic momentum in a dielectric medium. This is the so-called the Minkowski-Abraham controversy. We show that there is indeed a consistent picture for the electromagnetic momentum associated with waves in a dielectric, but one must start with the fields E and B, not D and H as fundamental objects. The momentum flow is described by a tensor T^EB, where the expression is identical to that in vacuum. The Minkowski tensor and the Abraham force result from a fractured decomp…
