Propagation of

waves
Friday October 18, 2002

Propagation of waves in 3D

Imagine a disturbane that results in waves

propagating equally in all directions
E.g.

sound wave source in air or water, light source

in a dielectric medium etc..

The generalization of the wave equation to 3dimensions is straight forward if the medium is
homogeneous
Let = amplitude of disturbance (could be
amplitude of E-field also)

Propagation of waves in 3D
depends on x, y and z such that it satisfies the wave equation

2 2 2
1 2

2
0
2
2
2
2
x
y
x
v t
or,

2
1

2
2
0
2
v t

where in cartesian co-ordinates,

x y z
x
y
z3

1. Special Case: Plane Waves along x

Suppose (x, y, z, t)=(x, t) (depends only on
x)
Then = f(kx-t) + g(kx+t)
Then for a given position xo, has the same
value for all y, z at any time to.
i.e. the disturbance has the same value in the
y-z plane that intersects the x-axis at x o.
This is a surface of constant phase

Plane waves along x

kx

Planes perpendicular to the x-axis are wave fronts by definition

2. Plane waves along an arbitrary

direction (n) of propagation

Now will be
constant in plane
perpendicular to n if
wave is plane
For all points P in
plane

r n d

P
d
O

x
6

2. Plane waves along an arbitrary

direction (n) of propagation
For all points P in plane

f kd t

f k r n t

or, for the disturbance at P

f kd t
7

2. Plane waves along an arbitrary

direction (n) of propagation
If wave is plane, must be the
same everywhere in plane to n

This plane is defined by

r OP n 0
or ,

r n n OP d const

d
O

is equation of a plane to n,
a distance d from the origin
x
8

2. Plane waves along an arbitrary

direction (n) of propagation

f k r n t

f kn r t

f k r t

is the equation of a plane wave propagating in k-direction

9

3. Spherical Waves

r,t

Assume
has spherical symmetry about
origin (where source is located)
In spherical polar co-ordinates
1 2
1


1
2
2
r
2
sin
2
r r
r
r sin

r sin 2 2
z
2

r
y
x

10

3. Spherical Waves

Given spherical symmetry, depends only on r, not or

Consequently, the wave equation can be written,

1 2
1
r
2 2 0
2
r r
r v t
or ,
2

2 1
2 2 2 0
r r r
v t
2

11

3. Spherical Waves
Now note that,

2 r

r
2
r
r
r

2
2
r 2
r
r
2 2
r
2
r r r
r 2
2 2
v t
2 r
1 2 r
2
2
r
v
t 2

12

3. Spherical Waves
But,

2 r 1 2 r
2
0
2
2
r
v
t

is just the wave equation, whose solution is,

r f kr t g kr t

1
f kr t
r

i.e. amplitude decreases as 1/ r !!

Wave fronts are spheres

13

4. Cylindrical Waves (e.g. line source)

The corresponding expression is,

A

cos k t

for a cylindrical wave traveling along positive

14

Electromagnetic waves

Consider propagation in a homogeneous

medium (no absorption) characterized by a
dielectric constant

o
o = permittivity of free space

15

Electromagnetic waves
Maxwells equations are, in a region of no free charges,

E 4 0

B 0

B
E
t

E
E
o
B o 4j

t
t

Gauss law electric field

from a charge distribution
No magnetic monopoles
Electromagnetic induction
(time varying magnetic field
producing an electric field)
Magnetic fields being induced
By currents and a time-varying
electric fields

o = permeability of free space (medium is diamagnetic)

16

Electromagnetic waves
For the electric field E,

2
2
E E E E

B o
t
t 2

or,

E
2
E o 2 0
t
2

i.e. wave equation with v2 = 1/o

17

Electromagnetic waves

B
2
B o 2 0
t
2

Similarly for the magnetic field

i.e. wave equation with v2 = 1/o

In free space,

= o = o

1
o o

( = 1)

c = 3.0 X 108 m/s

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Electromagnetic waves
In a dielectric medium,

= n2

and

= o = n2 o

1
1
c

o
n o o n
19

Electromagnetic waves: Phase relations

The solutions to the wave equations,

E
2
E o
0
2
t
2

B
2
B o
0
2
t
2

can be plane waves,

i krt
E Eo e
i krt
B Bo e
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