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:
“The circumstances of human society are too complicated to be submitted to the rigour of mathematical calculation.”
—Marquis De Custine (1790–1857)
“God damnit, why must all those journalists be such sticklers for detail? Why, they’d hold you to an accurate description of the first time you ever made love, expecting you to remember the color of the room and the shape of the windows.”
—Lyndon Baines Johnson (1908–1973)