Relation To Group Velocity, Refractive Index and Transmission Speed
Since a pure sine wave cannot convey any information, some change in amplitude or frequency, known as modulation, is required. By combining two sines with slightly different frequencies and wavelengths,
the amplitude becomes a sinusoid with phase speed of vg = Δω/Δk. It is this modulation that represents the signal content. Since each amplitude envelope contains a group of internal waves, this speed is usually called the group velocity. In reality, the vp = ω/k and vg = dω/dk ratios are determined by the media. The relation between phase speed, vp, and speed of light, c, is known as refractive index, n = c/vp = ck/ω. Taking the derivative of ω = ck/n, we get the group speed,
Noting that c/n = vp, this shows that group speed is equal to phase speed only when the refractive index is a constant: dn/dk = 0. Otherwise, when the phase velocity varies with frequency, velocities differ and the medium is called dispersive. The phase velocity of electromagnetic radiation may – under certain circumstances (for example anomalous dispersion) – exceed the speed of light in a vacuum, but this does not indicate any superluminal information or energy transfer. It was theoretically described by physicists such as Arnold Sommerfeld and Léon Brillouin. See dispersion for a full discussion of wave velocities.
Read more about this topic: Phase Velocity
Famous quotes containing the words relation to, relation, group, index and/or speed:
“The difference between objective and subjective extension is one of relation to a context solely.”
—William James (1842–1910)
“A theory of the middle class: that it is not to be determined by its financial situation but rather by its relation to government. That is, one could shade down from an actual ruling or governing class to a class hopelessly out of relation to government, thinking of gov’t as beyond its control, of itself as wholly controlled by gov’t. Somewhere in between and in gradations is the group that has the sense that gov’t exists for it, and shapes its consciousness accordingly.”
—Lionel Trilling (1905–1975)
“The virtue of dress rehearsals is that they are a free show for a select group of artists and friends of the author, and where for one unique evening the audience is almost expurgated of idiots.”
—Alfred Jarry (1873–1907)
“Exile as a mode of genius no longer exists; in place of Joyce we have the fragments of work appearing in Index on Censorship.”
—Nadine Gordimer (b. 1923)
“For myself and my loved ones, I want the heat, which comes at the speed of light. I don’t want to have to hang about for the blast, which idles along at the speed of sound.”
—Martin Amis (b. 1949)