Mathematical Description of Elliptical Polarization
The classical sinusoidal plane wave solution of the electromagnetic wave equation for the electric and magnetic fields is (cgs units)
for the magnetic field, where k is the wavenumber,
is the angular frequency of the wave, and is the speed of light.
Here is the amplitude of the field and
is the Jones vector in the x-y plane. The axes of the ellipse have lengths and . If and are equal the wave is linearly polarized. If they differ by the wave is circularly polarized.
Read more about this topic: Elliptical Polarization
Famous quotes containing the words mathematical and/or description:
“An accurate charting of the American woman’s progress through history might look more like a corkscrew tilted slightly to one side, its loops inching closer to the line of freedom with the passage of time—but like a mathematical curve approaching infinity, never touching its goal. . . . Each time, the spiral turns her back just short of the finish line.”
—Susan Faludi (20th century)
“It is possible—indeed possible even according to the old conception of logic—to give in advance a description of all ‘true’ logical propositions. Hence there can never be surprises in logic.”
—Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889–1951)