Tagged Questions

2
votes
2answers
280 views

Greens function in EM with boundary conditions confusion

So I thought I was understanding Green's functions, but now I am unsure. I'll start by explaining (briefly) what I think I know then ask the question. Background Greens are a way of solving ...
4
votes
1answer
146 views

How do we make symmetry assumptions rigorous?

I have, for instance, a problem with a spherically symmetric charge distribution. I deduce here, in order to solve the problem easily, that the corresponding electric field must be symmetric. How is ...
3
votes
2answers
195 views

Electromagnetism for Mathematician

I am trying to find a book on electromagnetism for mathematician (so it has to be rigorous). Preferably a book that extensively uses Stoke's theorem for Maxwell's equations (unlike other books that on ...
0
votes
0answers
197 views

Proof of equality of the integral and differential form of Maxwell's equation

Just curious, can anyone show how the integral and differential form of Maxwell's equation is equivalent? (While it is conceptually obvious, I am thinking rigorous mathematical proof may be useful in ...
1
vote
1answer
160 views

Hairy ball theorem: references to applications

I'm looking for references to applications of the Hairy ball theorem. This is a result of mathematics (topology), but I am interested in applications. I already visited wikipedia and cited ...
4
votes
4answers
353 views

How to interpret the continuity conditions in the PDEs (for example, Maxwell equations) originated in physics?

I am currently working on PDEs in physics, mostly Maxwell equations. I am a mathematics graduate student, and this question has been haunting me for years. In PDE theory, or more specifically the ...
3
votes
1answer
59 views

generation of arbitrary potentials

Suppose you have as many electrically charged particles as needed (even countably many) and consider the open unit ball centered at some point in space. For every continuous real valued function on ...
2
votes
2answers
182 views

Why, intuitively, must a solution in physics be unique?

When solving Laplace's equation or Poisson's equation say, we require that the solution must be unique, which can be shown. In general, what is the physics behind seeking a unique solution? Are ...
6
votes
2answers
530 views

complex numbers in optics

I have recently studied optics. But I feel having missed something important: how can amplitudes of light waves be complex numbers? I suppose this is quite fundamental, but I do not find the answer ...
2
votes
1answer
165 views

What determine whether the dynamical equations are tensor equations or vector equations?

Newton's 2nd law which is central to Newtonian dynamics, is a vector equation $\sum\textbf{F}_{external}=m\textbf{a}$ Same with Maxwell's equations in the covariant form. On the other hand, ...
5
votes
3answers
1k views

Can Laplace's equation be solved using Fourier transform instead of Fourier series?

Sorry for the long text, but I am unable to make my question more compact. Any periodic function can be Fourier expanded. Usually, they say in mathematical physics books, if the function is not ...
1
vote
2answers
135 views

A question on a system of particles governed by laws of gravity and electromagnetic field

Consider a system of many point particles each having a certain mass and electric charge and certain initial velocity. This system is completely governed by the laws of gravitation and electromagnetic ...
5
votes
0answers
194 views

1-form formulation of quantized electromagnetism

In a perpetual round of reformulations, I've put quantized electromagnetism into a 1-form notation. I'm looking for references that do anything similar, both to avoid reinventing the wheel and perhaps ...
2
votes
2answers
205 views

Phase Accumulation of Hankel-waves upon propagation

Hankel functions are solutions to the scalar Helmholtz-equation $$\Delta\psi + k_e^2\psi = 0$$ in cylindrical and spherical geometry (with respect to a separated angular dependence). Thus, they are ...
1
vote
3answers
383 views

Electric field at a point being an $n^{th}$ derivative of electric (or magnetic) field at some other point

This is a theoretical question for which i would like to know an answer with an example. I'd like to know if its possible to create a setup where the electric field at a point $P$ is $n^{th}$ ...