dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaOn the difference between the charge-free and the charge-neutral solutions of Maxwell equations
| Authors | Andrew E. Chubykalo, Hector A. Munera, Roman Smirnov-Rueda |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | physics/9711008 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/9711008 |
| Journal | Found.Phys.Lett. 11 (1998) 573-584 |
Abstract
It is conventionally believed that solutions of so called "free" Maxwell equations for \varrho=0 (density of charge) describe the free electromagnetic field in empty space (if one considers the free field as a field, whose flux lines neither begin nor end in a charge). We consider three types of regions: (i) "isolated charge-free" region (where all electric fields, generated by charges outside that particular region, are zero), for example, inside a hollow conductor of any shape or in a free-charge Universe; (ii) ``non-isolated charge-free" region (where all electric fields, generated by charges outside that particular region, are not zero) and (iii) "charge-neutral" region (where point charges exist but their algebraic sum is zero). The paper notes that there are two families of solutions: (1) In "isolated charge-free" regions electric free field does not exist in the context of Maxwell's equations, but there may exist a time-independent background magnetic field. (2) In both "charge-neutral" and "non-isolated charge-free" regions where the homogeneous condition \varrho=0 also holds, Maxwell's equation for electric field have non-zero solution, as in the conventional view, but this solution is not free field. We mention some implications related to free-electromagnetic fields and the simplest charge-neutral universe.
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"abstract": "It is conventionally believed that solutions of so called \"free\" Maxwell\nequations for \\varrho=0 (density of charge) describe the free electromagnetic\nfield in empty space (if one considers the free field as a field, whose flux\nlines neither begin nor end in a charge). We consider three types of regions:\n(i) \"isolated charge-free\" region (where all electric fields, generated by\ncharges outside that particular region, are zero), for example, inside a hollow\nconductor of any shape or in a free-charge Universe; (ii) ``non-isolated\ncharge-free\" region (where all electric fields, generated by charges outside\nthat particular region, are not zero) and (iii) \"charge-neutral\" region (where\npoint charges exist but their algebraic sum is zero). The paper notes that\nthere are two families of solutions: (1) In \"isolated charge-free\" regions\nelectric free field does not exist in the context of Maxwell\u0027s equations, but\nthere may exist a time-independent background magnetic field. (2) In both\n\"charge-neutral\" and \"non-isolated charge-free\" regions where the homogeneous\ncondition \\varrho=0 also holds, Maxwell\u0027s equation for electric field have\nnon-zero solution, as in the conventional view, but this solution is not free\nfield. We mention some implications related to free-electromagnetic fields and\nthe simplest charge-neutral universe.",
"arxiv_id": "physics/9711008",
"authors": [
"Andrew E. Chubykalo",
"Hector A. Munera",
"Roman Smirnov-Rueda"
],
"categories": [
"physics.class-ph",
"physics.ed-ph"
],
"journal_ref": "Found.Phys.Lett. 11 (1998) 573-584",
"title": "On the difference between the charge-free and the charge-neutral solutions of Maxwell equations",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/9711008"
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