Skip to main content

Classical Electrodynamics

Code
Φ-509
Level
Graduate
Category
B
Teacher
V. Pavlidou
ECTS
6
Hours
6
Semester
Winter
Display
Yes
Offered
Yes
Goal of the course
The course is addressed to graduate students as well as to advanced undergraduates. A solid background in Electromagnetism and Mathematical Physics is required. The main goal of the course is the cover all basic topics of electrodynamics in a level essential for further study of modern problems in theoretical physics. The course is organizing the various concepts of electricity and magnetism in the compact and powerful formulation of Maxwell's equations. A number of applications are explored.
Program
Monday, 11:00-13:00, Room 4
Tuesday, 9:00-11:00, Room 4
Thusday, 9:00-11:00,Room 4
Syllabus
INTRODUCTION: Maxwell equations, continuity equation, Lorentz force, boundaryconditions, linear isotropic media, electromagnetic energy and momentum, Poyntingvector, electromagnetic potentials, wave equations.

ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES: Propagation of electromagnetic waves in dielctrics, plane waves,monochromatic waves, polarization, energy and momentum, reflection and refraction, Snell laws,Fresnel relations, total reflection, Brewster angle, radiation pressure, frequency dependence of the dielectric constant, plasma frequency, popagation in the ionosphere, conductivity,propagation in conducting media, reflection and refraction off metalic surfaces.

WAVE GUIDES: Wave guides with perfectly conducting surfaces, transverse waves, waves ofelectric and magnetic type, propagation of energy, group velocity, energy loss in wave guideswith real metalic surfaces, resonant cavities.

RADIATION: Solution of the wave equations, retarded potentials, radiation fields, spectralresolution, radiation from antennas, Lienard-Wiechert potentials, fields produced by accelerated point charges, radiation in linear accelerators, synchrotron radiation, infraredradiation during collisions or decays of charged particles, radiation reaction.

SPECIAL THEORY OF RELATIVITY: Lorentz transformations, covariant form of the Maxwelland Newton equations, applications (fields produced by charges in uniform motion, Dopplereffect, Hall effect)
Bibliography
J. D. Jackson, Classical Electrodynamics, Willey, NY (1975)
L. D. Landau and E. M. Lifshitz, The Classical Theory of Fields, Pergamon Press, Oxford (1985)
L. D. Landau and E. M. Lifshitz, Electrodynamics of Continuous Media, Pergamon Press, Oxford (1984)
Εισαγωγή στην Ηλεκτροδυναµική, D. J. Griffiths, (Τόµος ΙΙ), Παν. Εκδόσεις Κρήτης (2002)