Wave Propagation in Overhead Wires

with Ground Return

TME problem of wave propagation along a transmission system

composed of an overhead wire to the (plane) surface of
the earth, in spite of its great technical importance, does not appear
to have been satisfactorily solved.' While a complete solution of
the actual problem is impossible, on account of the inequalities in the
earth's surface and its lack of conductive homogeneity, the solution
of the problem,' where the actual earth' is replaced b y a plane homo-'
geneous semi-infinite solid, is of considerable theoretical and practical
interest. T h e solution of this problem is given in the present paper,
together with formulas for calculating inductive disturbances in
neighboring transmission systems.
The axis of the wire is taken parallel to the z-asis a t height h
above the xz-plane ,and passes through the y-axis a t point 0' as
shown in Fig. 1 herewith. The "image" of the wire is designated
by 0".
For y>O (in the-dielectric) the medium is supposed to have zero
conductivity, while for y<O (in the ground) the conductivity of the
medium is designated by A. The xz-plane represents the surface of
'
separation between dielectric and ground.
We consider a wave propagated along the z-axis and t h e current,
charge and field are supposed to contain the common factor
esp ( - r z + i w l ) , which, however, will be omitted for convenience in
the formulas. The propagation constant, I?, is to be determined. It is
assumed, ab initio, as a very small quantity in c.g.s. units.2
I In the ground ( y s O ) the axial electric force is formulated as the
See l7udenb;rg, Zt. f. Angewanclt, Math. u, Mechanik, Band 5, 19i.5. I n t h a t
paper the current density in the ground is assumed t o be distributed with radial
symmetry. T h e resulting formulas are not in agreement with those of t h e present
paper. Since this paper was set up in type I have learned that formulas equivalent
to equations (26), (28), (31) for the mnrl~~al i~npedanceof two ~ a r e l l e lwires' were
obtained b y n ~ ycolleague, Dr. G. A. Campbell, in 1917. I t is t o hoped t h a t
his solution will be published shortly.
' The simplifying assumptions introduced in this analysis a r e essentially t h e same
as those employed and discussed in "Wave Propagation Over Parallel Wires: The
Proximity Effect," Phil. Mag., Vol. sli, April, 1921.
 \
540 BELL S Y S T E M TECI-INICAL JOURNAL

general solution, symmetrical with respect to x , of the wave equation;

thus

where
- a = 4irXw,
X =conductivity of ground in elm. c.g.s. units,
;=q
w / 2 x = frequency in cycles per second.
(In the following analysis and formulas, elm. c.g.s. units are employed
throughout).

Fig. 1

Assuming that in the ground E, ancl E, are ~legligiblecompared

with Ez, we have from the formula, curl E = --11,
a
at

a E,.
i d I Y=-
ax
lVhence, in the ground

it being understood t h a t y SO. The function F ( p ) in the preceding

forlnulas is to be determined by the bou~ldaryconditions.
I n the dielectric, TIs and TIy may I?e regarded as composed of two
components; thus
+
= IILO Ils',
II>= rIyO+fIyl,
where IITO,11; designate the field due to the current I in the w.ire, and
II;, II,' the field of the ground current.
Neglecting axial clisplacement currents in the clielectric, and as-
suming that the wire is of sufficiently small radius so that the distri-
bution of c u r r c ~ i over
t its cross section is symmetrical, we have
cos 0'
=-
IIzO . 21,
R '
sin 8'
IIyO=-. 31,
PI

where

sin 8'=x/p'
T l ~ seconclary
c magnetic fielcl II;', IIy'is taken as

A t the surface of separation y = O , ILO,12;0 are espressible as the

Fourier integrals
na
542 B E L L S Y S T E M TECHNICAL JOURN,,IL

Also a t the surface of separation of the two 111edia(y = 0 ) , 11, and If,
must be continuous. Equating the values of I.Is and I l y a t y = 0 ,
as given by (2), (3) and by (7), (8) ancl (g), ( l o ) , we have

whence

wl~ichdetermiues the lunclioiis P ( ~ Land) d(@).

Inserting the value of PCcl),as give11by (11) in ( I ) , tlie asial electric
force E, in the ground (y SO) and'therefore the distribution of current
density in the ground is espressed as a Fourier integral in terms of the
frequency w/27r, the current I in the wire, the height IL of the wire
above ground, arlcl the concl~tctivityX of tlie ground. Silnilarly the
insertion of $(p), as given by (12) in fornlulas (7) and (8) gives the
magnetic field 11; 11; in tlic clielectric. Thus
e-~ll
E , ( X , ~=)Ez= - i L h I J 6 ' -edp'+iu cos x p . d p , y 5 0. (13)
+p'1/

This can be further siniplified if we write

x1= xv';

yl=y-&
ILI = wa,
whence
-
EZ= - 4 u 1 1 M(m- p ) e - h''.ey'dp2fi cos i t rd p , y 5 0. (14)

T h e asial electric force in the dielectric is now to be fortnulated.

This is always derivable from a vector and a scalar poteutial; thus

where A , is the vector potential of the axial currents, and V the

scalar potential. Consequently,
Hcre E,(x,O) is the asial electric inte~isitya t the surface of the ground
plane (y = O), and

V ( x , y )- ITcris the difference in the scalar potential between the point

x,y and the ground, which is due to the charges on the wire and on
the surface of the ground. For convenience, it will be designated by V.
By means of (IG) ancl the preceding formulas we get

a V,
--.i 2wI log ( , J " / ~ ' )-- YSO
32

=distance of point x,:v from wire,

,o" = \ / ( I ~ + ~ ) ? + X '

=distance of point s,y from image of wire.

T h e first two terms o n the right hand side of (18) represent the
electric force C ~ L Ito
~
a
the varying magnetic field; the tern1 --V
a2
represents the asial electric intensity due to the charges on the surface
of the wire 311d the ground. If Q be the charge per unit length, V
is calculable by usual electrostatic methods on the assumption t h a t
the surface of the wire ancl the surface of the ground a r e equipotentinl
surfaces, and thcrr clifference of potential is @/Cwhere C is the electro-
static capacity I~etweenwire and grouncl..'

I3y aid of the preceding analysis nncl for~nuias,we are now in a

position to derive the propagation constant, r, and characteristic
impedance, K , which characterize wave propagation along the system.
Let z denote the "internal" or "intrinsic" ilnpedance of the wire per
3.-Is i~ ~ . l i ~ ( : l0;1 1 tllis for1iit1l;1 note that together w i t h (14) it satisfies t h e condition
( : o ~ ~ t i ~ iof~ ~EIi t;kt y :v = O
4 SCB ''\\,.;~vc'I ' r ~ ~ ~ > ; i g ;Over ~ t i ~ lP.1rr1l1t.l
l \\'it-cj: 'i'llc Proxilnit~.I T f f ~ c t , " Plril. Mag.,
Vol. sli. Apr., 1911.
544 BELL SYSTEM T E C H N I C A L J O U R N A L

unit length. (With small error this may usually be taken as the resist-
ance per unit length of the wire.) The axial electric intensity a t the
surface of the wire is then 21. Equating this to the asial electric in-
tensit y a t the surface of the wire as given by (18) and replacing 3/32
by -r, we have
z I = -4u1 fw ( d p ~ - p ) e - " ' ~ d p
0
(l!))
-i 2 w I . log ( ~ " / a+r
) V.
Writing V = Q/C and

where G is the leakage conductance to ground per unit'length, we

have, solving for r, I

b! .I (20)
2=
r (G+iwC) p + i 2 w . log ( p " / o ) ] +4wf 0
O 0

-
-

P 2 h p

Writing this in the usual form

tlie characteristic impedance is given by

. - .

and the series impedaltce per zbnz'l' length of llre circrtit is

f (dp2+i - p) e-211'fidp.
0 " -

R fix = Z = z+i2o. log ( p l f / a )+4w . (23)

0

I t will be observed that the first two terms on the right hand side of
(23) represent the series in~pedanceof the circuit {F Ll~egrorlnd is a per-
fecl condzlctor; the infinite integral formulates the effect of the finite
coriductivity of the ground.
The mzitual inzpedance 2,:between two parallel ground return
circuits with wires a t heights lhl and hz above ground and a separation
x between their vertical planes is given by

I t will be noted that the ~iiutuolin11,edancc is c q ~ ~ to

n l the axial clectric iutensity
a t tlie axis of the second wire due to thc varying magnetic ficld of unit current in
the first wire and its acco~nparlyiiigdistribution o l ground current.
 From the preceding the series self imperLa?zce of the ground return
circuit m a y be conveniently written as

impedance as
and the ??11~1ztal
2 1 2=2;2+2;2

where .ZO,z::!;Ire the self and mutual irnpetlances respectively, on the

nsszrntpliort of n pedeclly cotzdzlcti~rggro!lntL, and

09
~ ; ~ = (4d p~ T l- p ) e - ( h ~ ' + b ? ' )cos
~ ~ ' dp . (28)

T h e calculation of the circuit constants and the electromagnetic

field i n . the dielectric depends, therefore, on the evaluation of an
infinite integral of the form

J ( P . ~=)I = of - ( d n - p ) e - p p . cos q p d p .

I n terms of this integral

To tlle solution of the infinite integral J ( p , q ) we now proceed.

'The s o l u ~ i o nof equation (39), that is, the evaluation of J(p,g)

can I)e made to clepend on the solution of the inlinite integral
5 46 BELL SY.Y~.EIII TECI-INICAL IOURIV,JIL

which has beell worked out and co~nnlunicateclto Inc 1)y li. M. I~osicl-.
I t is

where I<I(N)is the Bessel function of the second kind and first ordcr
as defined by Jahnke und Ernde, Funktionentafeln, pg. 93, and
G ( x ) is the absolutely convergent series

On tile basis of this solution, it is a straightforwarcl tllot~ghintricate

and tedious process to clerive the following solution for J ( p , q ) of
equation (29).

I n ~lteseequations log y is Euler's constant:

-
2
-y = l.iS11, log - =0.11593, log = 0.5'7722 and a', 0:. UB, u.1, 5 2 , S Z ' ,
Y

sr, sr', are infinite series definccl as follows

t? =-(
1
r,
1!2! 3
2
cos 20-- ( ~ ) ~ c Gu Bs+ . .
3!4! 2
. ,

s - (-
1 r 4
2!3! 2
1 r s
cos - L B - ~ ! ( ~ ) cos 80+ . . .
 LVAL'E PROPAGATION

1 r 8
. = ( 2!3!
) 4 s 2i n 4 8 - - ( - )
4!5! 2
sin SO+ ...,

g , =-
r cos 8 - r5 cos 58 r9 cos 99
3 ... '
32.51.7 + 3?.5~.7~.9~.11-
r3 cos 38 -r7 cos 78 rll cos 118
ua =
3:.5 .
32.52.72.9+32.52.72.0~.112.13- '

5
= -s? approximately,
4

I t is to be regretted t h a t the foregoing formulas appear so com-

plicated. Tile series, however, are very rapidly convergent and for
r S 2 only the two leading terms of each series need be retained. For
r S 1, only the lentling terms are of importance.
t range r 5 l / 4 ,
For the i~tiportan

@ = -0.0386+2
1
log r +
(2) zr 1 C05 @-

For r > 5 the following asymptotic espansions, derivable from (20)

1)); repeated partial integrations, are to be employed.

p =I
/
cos 8 cos 2t3
r 72
1
+1/-7 7 +--=-
cos 3 8 3 cos 5 0
XI2 - . - (36)
r>5.
Q =--
1 cos 0
---- 1 cos 3 0 +----
3 cos 5 8 . . ,
(37)
r 5 r3 d2 rS
548 B E L L SYSTEM T E C H N I C A L J O U R N A L

Fur large values of r(r > l o ) , these reduce to

I n view of the sornewhat complicated character of the function in

the range 1/4SrS5 the curves shown below have been computed.
? ~ ~ 3 n i r
These show J-P+iQ as a function of r for 0 = 0 , - - - -. By
8' 4' 8 ' 2
interpolation it is possible to estimate with fair accuracy the value
of the functions for intermediate values of 8.
 W A V E PROPAGATION 549

Fig. 3 Q =imnginitry part of J

IV

T h e theory and formulas of the preceding sections will now be

reviewed and summarized as regards their principal applications to
technical transmission problems where the ground forms, in whole
or part, the "return" part of the circuit. I n such problems we are
interested in the electric intensity in the dielectric and in the ground,
and in particular in the self impedance and mutual impedances of
ground return circuits. T h e calculation of these quantities is pro-
vided for by the general analysis and the solution of t h e infinite
inteiral J. Reference should be made to Fig. 1 shown in section I
for the geometry of the system and coordinate system employed.

1. The Axial Electric 1.rzte.rts.ity E, ,iu tlie Dielectric. (See equations

(15) and (IS) ).

a V- ( i 2 w log
E, = - a2
- (pH/P') + ~ u JI )
5 50 DELL S Y S T E I I , ~T E C H N I C A L JOURN,.IL

where
= d ( h - Y ) ~+x2
-distance of point in dielectric frolrz axis of wire.
p" = d(lz+y)2+.z2
=distance of point in dielectric fronz i?vaye of wire.
r = p1'4Y
€=~in-~(x/p")
I

These values of r and €3 are, of course, to be employed in calculating

J=P+iQ from the formulas and curves of the preceding section.
As a special case llte eleclric inlertsity at llre surface o j I l ~ eearl11 is
En= - 4 w J I
=~ I L ~ + X ?

0 = sin-' ( x / ~ " )

2. Self Impedance of Groullct Retltr?t Circrtit. (See equations (25).

(271, (30) ).

Zfl=self impeclance wit11 11erfectly conducting ground.

3. 11dt~t2ialInzpedance of Grorilrd Retlirrt Circuits. (See equations (2F),

(281, (31) -
212 =2~2+4~1
Z ~ z = n i u t u a impedance
l with perfectly conclucting ground.

T h e axial electric ilrtensity E , ilt / h e grolrnd ( y < 0) is given b y equation

( I ) , and the subsequent analysis, \vlience
 IVAVE PR0PdG.-I7'ION

where, as before
XI =~dn
IL' = h dcu
I I I ~

gl= 4;times tlie depth below tlie surface of the ground.

=gfi.
'T'he integral can undoubtedly be evaluated in somewhat tlie same way
a s (29) and can in any case be numerically computed without much
d i f i c ~ ~ l t yOwing,
. however, to the secondary technical interest in the'
electric intensity below the surface of the earth, the detailed solution
has not been undertaken, nor has the magnetic field been worked out.

T h e practical utility of the preceding theory and. formulas wilt now

I)e illustrntetl I)y a brief sketch of their application to two important
transmission pro1)lems.

IVhcn a transmission line with i i g r o ~ ~ nreturn"

d is employed as a
radio receiving antenna it is called a wave antenna. T h e theory and
design of such an antenna requires a knowledge of the transmission
characteristics of the ground return circuit, which are calculable, as
shown above, from the geometry ancl constants of the overhead wire,
together with Z'=-loJ, which may be termed the "ground return"
impedance.
W e assumc l h a t the wire is approsi~nately30 ft. above the ground
( h = lo3) arid that the frequency is 5.104 c.p.s. corresponding t o the
frequency crnployed in Trans-Atlantic radio communication. The
ground contluclivity A is exceedingly variable, depending on the
locality and weather conditions. Calculations of Z1 will therefore
be made for two extreme cases, X = lo-'? and X = 10-l4 which sho~lld
cover the range of variation encountered in practice.

For X = 10-12,
&= d4*Xw = 2. loT3
and for X = 10-14,
a = 2.10-4.
552 B E L L SYSTEM T E C I f N I C A L J O U R N A L

Correspondingly, r=2h& has the values 4.0 and 0.4, respectively.

Reference to the preceding formulas and curves for J, for r = 4.0 and
r = 0.4, give
3=0.126+i 0.168, = 10-12

J=0.323+i 0.871, = 10-14

whence the corresponding values of Z' are

These are the "ground return" impedances per unit length iq elm.
c.q.s. units; to convert to olrnzs per mile they are to be multip1ied 6 y the
factor 1.61X lo-! Consequently setting w = x.1@, we get

Corllparison of these formulas shows that an I~undred-foldincrease

in the resistivity of the ground increases the resistance component of
the ground return impedance by the factor 2.5 and increases its
reactance only five-fold. That is to say, the ground return impedance
is not sensitive to wide variations in the resistivity of the earth, a
fortunate circulnstance in view of its wide variability and our lack of
precise information regarding it.

A particularly important application of the preceding analysis is

to the problems connected with the disturbances induced in parallel
coliinlunication lines by alternating current electric railways. As-
surning the frequency as 25 c.p.s., we have corresponding to X = LO-l2
and X = 10-14,
&= 0.45 x 10-4 and 0.45 X

Taking the height of the trolley wire as approxitnately 30 ft., lz= lo3
and assunling the parallel telephone'as the same height above ground
and separated by approximately f 20 ft., x =4.103, and
 W A V E PRO PAGATION

nncl corresponding to the values of a taken above

r = 0 . 2 and 0.02 in round numbers,

while

For I.)ot11cases, therefore, we can employ, in calculating J=P+iQ,

the approximate formulas,

p = -T- - 1 r, cor Q f 7 ); r2 0 sin 201

r2 cos 2 9 .6728+10g 2 4- 16
8 342 16

For X = 10-'2 and r = 0.2, this gives

J=0.3Gl)+i 1.135
and
Z',, =-l~1(0..3GO+i1.135).
The foregoing assumes that tlre only return conductor is the ground.
If, however, an equal and opposite current flows in the rail we must
subtract from the foregoing mutual impedance, the mutual impedance
Ixtween rail and telephone line; that is, the mutual impedance ~1~ . ..

between the telepllone line and a conductor a t the surface of the

earth. For this case

cos 8 = 0.242, r =0.184 for X =

The corresponding value of J is

and the resz~ltant mutual impedance between railway and parallel

telephone line is,

Tlle very large reduction in mutual impedance, due to the current

in the rail, is striking.
--
324 B E L L SYSTEM T E C H N I C A L I O U K N i l L

For the case of X = lo-", the corresponding calculations give

Z{2=4w(0.391+i 2.27)
with no crlrrenl i n rail, anrl
z ( 2 = 4 ~ ( - o . 0 0 1 - i0.002)

with equal and opposite cz~rre7tl in rail. I t is evident from these

figures t h a t t h e reduction in mutual impedance, due to the current
in the.rail, is practically indepenclent of the ground conduclivity, a t
least a t t h e separation specified.