Jefimenko
Jefimenko
1 Introduction
A general method of calculation of time-dependent electromagnetic fields was given by Lorenz
in 1867 [1], in which the retarded potentials were first introduced.1 These are,
[ρ(x, t )] 3 1 [J(x, t )] 3
Φ(x, t) = d x, and A(x, t) = d x, (1)
R c R
where Φ and A are the scalar and vector potentials in Gaussian units ,2 ρ and J are the
charge and current densities, R = |R| with R = x − x , and a pair of brackets, [ ], implies the
quantity within is to be evaluated at the retarded time t = t − R/c with c being the speed
of light in vacuum. Lorenz did not explicitly display the electric field E and the magnetic
field B, although he noted they could be obtained via
1 ∂A
E = −∇Φ − , and B = ∇ × A. (3)
c ∂t
Had Lorenz’ work been better received by Maxwell,3 the expressions discussed below
probably would have been well known over a century ago. The retarded potentials came into
1
The concept of retarded potentials is due to Riemann [2] (1858), but appeared only in a posthumous
publication together with Lorenz’ work [1]. Lorenz developed a scalar retarded potential in 1861 when
studying waves of elasticity [3].
2
These potentials obey the Lorenz gauge condition, also first introduced in [1],
1 ∂Φ
∇·A+ = 0. (2)
c ∂t
3
Lorenz argued the light was mechanical vibration of electric charge (and that “vacuum” was electrically
conductive), while Maxwell considered that light was waves of the electromagnetic field [4]. Maxwell’s
skepticism may also have been due to a misunderstanding as to the computation of the retarded fields of a
uniformly moving charge [5].
1
general use only after Hertz’ experiments on electromagnetic waves (1888) [6] and Thom-
son’s discovery of the electron [7, 8] (1897).4 At that time basic interest switched from
electromagnetic phenomena due to time-dependent charge and current distributions to that
due to moving electrons, i.e., point charges. Hence, the Liénard-Wiechert potentials and
the corresponding expressions for the electromagnetic fields of a point charge in arbitrary
motion [12, 13] form the basis for most subsequent discussions.
For historical perspectives see the books of Whittaker [14] and O’Rahilly [15]. The
textbook by Becker [16] contains concise derivations very much in the spirit of the original
literature (and is still in print).
Recent interest shown in this Journal in general expressions for time-dependent electro-
magnetic fields arose from an article by Griffiths and Heald [17] on the conundrum: while
time-dependent potentials are “simply” the retarded forms of the static potentials, the time-
dependent fields are more than the retarded forms of the Coulomb and the Biot-Savart laws.
Of course, it was Maxwell who first expounded the resolution of the conundrum; the some-
thing extra is radiation! Hertz’ great theoretical paper on electric-dipole radiation (especially
the figures) remains the classic example of how time-dependent fields can be thought of as
instantaneous static fields close to the source but as radiation fields far from the source [6].
The discussion of Griffiths and Heald centered on the following expressions for the elec-
tromagnetic fields, which they attributed to Jefimenko [18],
˙
[ρ] n̂ 3 1 [ρ̇] n̂ 3 1 [J]
E= dx + d x − 2 d3 x. (4)
R2 c R c R
2
nature of the time-dependent fields. However, after extensive checking the only reference to
eq. (6) that I have located is in sec. 14.3 of the 2nd edition of the textbook of Panofsky and
Phillips [19, 20].5
The alert reader may be troubled by the second term in eq. (6), which seems to suggest
that static currents give rise to an electric field. One can verify by explicit calculation that
this is not so for current in a straight wire or (more tediously) in a circular loop. Indeed, the
second term in eq. (6) vanishes whenever both ∇ · J = 0 and J̇ = 0 over the whole current
distribution, i.e., in the static limit.
In the following section I give a direct derivation of eq. (6) in possible contrast to that of
Panofsky and Phillips who used Fourier transforms. Section 3 clarifies why the second term
of eq. (6) vanishes in the static limit. Appendix A presents a solution for the fields without
use of potentials, and Appendix B considers the Helmholtz decomposition of E and B.
3
Thus,
1 [ρ̇] n̂ 3 1 (∇ · [J])n̂ 3 1 ˙ · n̂)n̂
([J]
d x =− d x + 2 d3 x . (12)
c R c R c R
If the first term on the righthand side of eq (12) actually varies as 1/R2 then the radiation
field within eq. (4) will have the form given in eq. (6), since the last term in eq. (12) is the
negative of the longitudinal component of the last term in eq. (4).
The integral involving ∇ · [J] can be transformed further by examining the components
of the integrand,
(∇ · [J])n̂i ∂ [J]j Ri ∂ [J]j Ri ∂ Ri ∂ [J]j Ri [J] − 2([J] · n̂)n̂i
= 2
= 2
−[J]j 2
= 2
+ i ,
R ∂xj R ∂xj R ∂xj R ∂xj R R2
(13)
where summation is implied over index j. The volume integral of the first term becomes a
surface integral with the aid of Gauss’ theorem, and hence vanishes assuming the currents
are contained within a bounded volume,
∂ [J]j Ri 3 [J] Ri
dx = dS · = 0. (14)
V ∂xj R2 S R2
4
A Appendix: Solution for the Fields without Use of
Potentials
Maxwell’s equations for the fields E and B can be combined into wave equations of the form,
1 ∂ 2E 4π ∂J 1 ∂ 2B 4π
∇ E − 2 2 = 4π∇ρ + 2
2
, ∇ B − 2 2 = − ∇ × J,
2
(16)
c ∂t c ∂t c ∂t c
in terms of source charge and current densities ρ and J.6 Each of these six scalar component
equations can be solved by the method of Riemann and Lorenz in terms of retarded source
quantities,
J̇
[∇ ρ] 3 1 3 1 [∇ × J] 3
E(x, t) = − dx − 2 d x, B(x, t) = d x. (17)
R c R c R
Now, for charge density that falls off sufficiently quickly at large distances,
∇ ρ 3 1 3 ρ n̂ 3
− d x = ρ∇ dx = d x, (18)
R R R2
Using this in eq. (17) yields eq. (4) for E, from which eq. (6) follows as before. Similarly,
integrating eq. (17) for B by parts, and using the chain rule for the derivative of the time
dependence on t = t − R/c leads to eq. (5).7
5
where the irrotational and rotational components Eirr and Erot obey,10
∇ × Eirr = 0, and ∇ · Erot = 0. (21)
As noted in [40], the Helmholtz decomposition of electromagnetic fields is closely related
to use of the Coulomb gauge for the electromagnetic potentials A(C) and Φ(C) , from which
the fields E and B can be deduced according to,
1 ∂A(C)
E = −∇Φ(C) − , B = ∇ × A(C) . (22)
c ∂t
In the Coulomb gauge, the vector potential obeys,
1 ∂A(C)
∇·A (C)
= 0, ⇒ ∇· − = 0, (23)
c ∂t
and the scalar potential is the instantaneous Coulomb potential,
(C) ρ 3
Φ = d x, (24)
R
such that the corresponding instantaneous Coulomb electric field obeys,
ρ n̂ 3
Einstantaneous = −∇Φ =
(C)
d x, ⇒ ∇ × Einstantaneous = 0. (25)
R2
Hence, the Helmholtz decomposition of the electric field can be written as,
ρ n̂ 3
Eirr = Einstantaneous = −∇Φ = (C)
d x, (26)
R2
1 ∂A(C)
Erot = − = E − Eirr (27)
c ∂t
˙ × n̂) × n̂
([ρ] − ρ) n̂ 3 1 ([J] · n̂) n̂ + ([J] × n̂) × n̂ 3 1 ([J]
= d x + d x + d3 x,
R2 c R2 c2 R
recalling eq. (6).11 Of course, since ∇ · B = 0,
Birr = B. (28)
6
Are these radiation fields rotational (i.e., with zero divergence)?
For example, the radiation fields of an idealized “point,” (Hertzian) oscillating electric
dipole p = p0 eωt , are (eq.(9.19) of [45]),
Thus, while Brad is rotational, Erad is not (and is not irrotational either).12
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12
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7
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8
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