Basic Characteristics of Electromagnetic Radiation.（电磁辐射的基本特性。）.pdf

Basic Characteristics of Electromagnetic Radiation. Brief review of EM waves, with a view towards astronomical application. I. Traveling wave characteristics EM radiation consists of transverse waves with alternating electric and magnetic fields, and amplitudes given by: r r  2π  E = Eo sin  (x − ct )   λ  From notes for MIT Physics 8.02, Electricity and Magnetism where: Eo is the electric amplitude, λ is the wavelength, and c is the propagation speed. The wavelength and frequency are related by the Dispersion relation: λν = c, in vacuo. Wavelengths and frequencies: the EM spectrum From Wikipedia: electromagnetic spectrum Atmospheric transmission. From NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Important wave-like properties: Diffraction: Waves bend around obstacles. Every unobstructed poin t on a wavefront will act a source of secondary spherical waves. The new wavefront is the surface tangent to all the secondary sph erical waves. From notes for MIT Physics 8.02, Electricity and Magnetism Interference: e.g., double-slit (Young’s) pattern of interfering waves. The amplitudes of the overlapping waves add directly, but the brightness or intensity depends on the square of the sum (where a 1-d. equation is used for simplicity). 2   2π   2π   I ∝ E 1 sin (x 1 − ct )  + E 2 sin  (x 2 − ct )     λ   λ   II. Light Rays, Geome