Homework 6 Answers, 95.

658 Spring 2011, Electromagnetic Theory II

Problem 1
For an oscillating dipole, find the time-averaged power radiated. Fill in the steps needed to get to Eq.
9.23 in Jackson.

SOLUTION
In the far field, the fields due to electric dipole radiation are
2 i k r t 2 i k r t
k p e 0 c k p e
E= k kp and B= k p
4 0 r 4 r

We want to get an idea of where the electromagntic energy is flowing because of this radiating dipole.
Energy flow, with dimensions of energy per area per time, is described by the Poynting vector S:

S=EH

There are oscillations in the energy flow because there are oscillations in the fields. Of more use is the
overall flow of energy with the oscillations averaged out. If the oscillation is harmonic, as it is here, we
can very simply find the time-averaged energy flow by conjugating one of the fields and dividing by
two and taking the real part:

1
< S >= EH*
2

Plugging in the fields above we find:

[ ] [ ]
2
1 k2 p ei k r t 1 0 c k p ei k r t
< S >= k k p
k p
*
2 4 0 r 0 4 r

c2 Z 0 4 2 1 p ]
< S >= 2
k p 2 [ k kp
][ k
32 r

If we sketch the vectors and do a little geometry, it is easy to see that the first term in brackets is
perpendicular to the second term in brackets and that their cross product will point in the -k direction.
2
c Z0 4 2 1
< S >= k 2
k p 2 k kp p
k
32 r

If we signify as the angle between the propagation vector k and the dipole vector p, this becomes

c2 Z 0 4 2 1
< S >= k 2
k p 2 sin 2
32 r

In the far-field, an oscillating dipole creates energy flowing radially outwards. Now note that the
energy also spreads out radially, and so dies out according to 1/r2. If we multiply this out than we will
end up with a constant no matter the observation point, which is more useful.

c2 Z0 4 2 2
r 2 < S >=k k p sin
32 2

Only the energy that leaves the dipole becomes radiation. If we want to know the energy radiated and
not just the energy flow in general, we dot both sides with the radial vector, which is also the unit
propagation vector k .
2
S >= c Z0 4 2 2
r 2 k< 2
k p sin
32

We can now relabel the left side as the time-averaged power radiated per unit solid angle, dP/d:

2
d P c Z0 4 2 2
= k p sin
d 32 2

There are several important features to note in this equation. First, at an angle of 0, the sine function is
zero and the whole expression evaluates to zero. Thus, an oscillating dipole radiates no power along its
axis. Next, note the sine function reaches its maximum at 90. Therefore, power is radiated most
strongly away in the plane perpendicular to the dipole's axis. Lastly note that the power radiated
depends on the fourth power of the wave number k, or on the fourth power of the frequency (because
frequency and wave number are linearly related in free space), or the fourth power of the wavelength
(which is the inverse of the wave number). For example, if we take an oscillating dipole and speed it up
so that we double its frequency, the radiated power will increase by 16 times!

Problem 2
Prove that in general, an oscillating localized current distribution creates transverse waves in the far-
field. In other words, prove that the electric field vector, the magnetic field vector, and the wave vector
are all mutually perpendicular in the far-field. Be sure to apply the far-field approximation whenever
possible.

SOLUTION:
The fields were calculated in class for the dipole term, but now this problem is asking for the more
general form, when all multipoles are included. The far-field solution for the vector potential which
includes all multipoles was found to be:

0 e i k r t
Ax , t =
4 r

J x ' ei k r ' xx ' d x '

The magnetic field is defined as:

B= A

Plugging in the solution above:

B= [ 0 e i k rt
4 r ] e i k r t
[ J x ' ei k r ' xx ' d x ' ] 0
4 r
[ J x ' ei k r ' xx ' d x ' ]

B=
0 e i k r t
4 r [ 1
i k x J x ' ei k r ' xx ' d x ' J x ' ei k r ' xx ' d x '
r ]
We are using spherical coordinates, so it should be obvious that by x hat we mean the unit vector in the
direction of the position vector x, which is in the radial direction. Let us calculate the second term in
the parentheses, realizing that there is no r dependence. We should realize that we can bring the curl
inside the integral and use the product rule again to find:

J x 'e i k r ' xx ' d x '= ei k r ' xx ' J x 'd x '

Let us find the gradient of the exponential:

r'
ei k r ' xx '=i k ei k r ' xx ' [ x ' x
x ' x ]
r

Plugging back in we find:

B=
0 e i k r t
4 r
[ ik
1
r
r'
x J x 'i k [ x ' x
r ]
x ' x ]J x ' ei k r ' x
x'
d x'

In the far-field we have r' << r so we can drop all but the lowest terms in r'/r

0 e i k r t
B=
4 r 1
i k x
r

J x 'e i k r ' xx ' d x '

We also know that kr >> 1 so that k >> 1/r

0 e i k r t
B= ik x J x ' ei k r ' xx ' d x '
4 r

We now recognize that the wave vector direction is radial, so that we can replace x hat with k hat

0 e i k r t
k J x ' ei k r ' xx ' d x ' so that B=i kA

B= ik
4 r

This includes all multipoles. Expanding the exponential in the integral will give us our different
multipole terms. To check our answer, we note that if we keep only the first term in the expansion of
the exponential, which is 1, we end up with:
i k r t
0 e
B= ik k J x ' d x '
4 r

This matches the equation we get for the magnetic field due to a magnetic monopole/electric dipole, so
our answer matches what we expect.
We also note that the magnetic field is always transverse.

Let us now find the electric field:

c
E=i B
k

E=c
0
4

r[
e i k rt
k J x ' ei k r ' xx ' d x '

]
We again use the product rule: [ a]= a a

E=c
0
4 [
r
e i k r t
k J x 'ei k r ' x
x'

ei k r t
r
k
J x 'ei k r ' x
x'
]
E=c
0 ei k r t
4 r [ ik
r
1
kk J x 'e i k r ' xx ' k
J x ' ei k r ' x
x'
]
As with the magnetic field, the derivatives in the curl of the second term will bring down a factor r'/r so
that in the far-field this term can be dropped. Also, as done with the magnetic field, k >> 1/r so that
another term can be dropped, leaving:

0 e i k rt c c
k k J x 'ei k r ' xx ' so that E=i kkA or E= kB

E=i
4 r k k

The electric field is therefore transverse. It is perpendicular to the direction of propagation and to the
magnetic field. We have shown that in the far-field, all multipoles generate radiation that becomes
spherically traveling transverse with a fixed angular pattern (antenna pattern) that does not change no
matter how far away the waves travel.

Problem 3
A point charge Q is placed at z = a above the ground and is turned on and off according to exp(-it).
The flat ground at z = 0 acts like a perfect conductor. By finding the electric dipole of this
configuration, determine the fields in the radiation zone, the time-averaged power radiated per unit
solid angle, and the total power radiated.

SOLUTION:
We assume that a is much less than k, so that the effects of the ground can be accounted for by an
image charge -Q at z = -a that oscillates in phase with the real charge. The dipole moment is then:
 p= x '((x ')) d x '

p=(a z )Q ei t +(a z )(Q)ei t

We note that the harmonic time dependence was already assumed and taken into account during the
dipole radiation derivations, so that the p that appears in equations is the spatial part of the dipole
moment.

The fields in the radiation zone are:

2 i k r t 2 i k r t
k p e 0 c k p e
E= k kp and B= k p

4 0 r 4 r

k2aQ e i(k r t ) c k2aQ e i (k r t )

The time-averaged power radiated per unit solid angle is:

2
d P c Z0 4 2 2 2
= k a Q sin
d 8 2

The total power radiated is:

c2 Z 0 4 2
P= k p
12

2
c Z0 4 2 2
P= k a Q
3