1 YDY 1 K h I ' K A i Y S A L ' I ' l V A ' t i O h AA'IL'ENNAS' AND YBVPAUA11'IV;V
Surface Waves Supported by Cylindrical Surfaces
H. 31.BARLOWT
Summary-In approaching a discussion of this matter, it is most
important to ensure general agreement about the particular features
that characterize the so-called surface wave. An attempt has been
made to formulate in simple and unambiguous terms a dewtion of
this form of wave, distinguishing it from the various other waves
known to be associated with an interface between two Werent
media. It is maintained that there are really t w o closely allied aspects
of the problem of surface wave propagation, one of which is more
particularly concerned with launching the wave from a given aerial
over the surface and the other with the capabilities of that surface in
supporting such a wave. The present paper deals with the latter
consideration in relation to surfaces slightly curved in the direction
of the propagation of the wave.
Recognizing the evanescent character of the surface wave field
distributionover the equiphase surfaces and the important part
played by the inclination of these surfaces with the normal to the in-
terface when power is transferred across it, a method is discussed of
calculating the radiation whicharises when a wave of this kind circu-
lates around a highly reactive supporting surface of cylindrical form.
It is concluded that when the surface has a h i t e loss there will be a
particular radius of curvahre forwhich no power is transferred
across the interface.
I. INTRODUCTION
s EVERAL attempts have been made [ l ] to define
in unambiguous terms what is now widely recog-
nized as a surface wave. As the name implies, such
a wave must be associated with an interface between
two different media, or, in other words, there must be a
recognizable surface on which to support the wave and
i t is therefore of thekind me call a guided wave. Bearing
this in mind, we might perhaps suitably describe a sur-
face wave by saying that it transmits no power away
from the supporting surface except that which is re-
quired to supply losses associated with the wave in the
surrounding media. As a corollary to this statement,we
should define radiation as power transmitted by a field
not identifiable as a characteristic mode of the wave-
guide structure.
Most of the commonforms of surface wave are E
modes which have a component of electric field in the
direction of propagation, but there are also H modes
and hybrid EH modes supported by cylindrical guides.
To satisfythesurfacewavecriterionthattheonly
power directed away from the supporting surface must
be absorbed bylosses arising from the wave in the media
on each sideof the boundary,we can offer an equivalent
specification simply requiring that either the electric or
magnetic field component whichis tangentialtothe
supportingsurfacehaveanevanescentdistribution
over the corresponding equiphase surface. In formulat-
ing this specification as a possible alternative means of
defining a surface wave, due regard has been given t o
i University College, London, England.
S147
the fact that the various field components of any such
\5~ave may have different equiphase surfaces. All that
is really necessary to meet the requirements is t h a t , a t
any particular point, oneof the field components which
is tangential to the supporting surface have the evanes-
cent structure which is the essential characteristic of a
surface wave.
When the supporting surface is straight in the direction
of propagation of the wave, i t is generally a compara-
tivelysimplemattertoascertainwhetherthereis a
solution to Maxwell's equations representing a field dis-
tribution of the surface wave form. If there is such a
solution, it seems justifiable t o conclude that the corre-
sponding surface wave can be supported by the surface
in question and, moreover, that a radiating aperture of
infinite area is required to guarantee that the wave can
be launched. We know from experience in other cases
that a particular wave mode can often be quite strongly
excited even when the radiating aperture is of a much
smaller area than thecross section of the wave which it
isrequiredtolaunch.Thisisparticularlytrue
resonant structure likea hollow metal waveguide where
for a
there is a pronounced predisposition to the formationof
certain defined n7ave modes. I t is less true of surface
waves, but thereis, nevertheless, the same kindof tend-
ency because these waves are also characteristic modes
of the guiding structure. RIuch work has already beep
done [Z], both mathematically and experimentally, to
establish the degree t o which surface waves can be ex-
cited over a given surface when different radiating sys-
tems are used. This is, of course, a very vital aspect of
the surface wave problem because it is of little use to
know that a particular surface is capableof supporting
a surface wave if there is no known radiator of manage-
able dimensions capable of exciting it with reasonable
efficiency. Nevertheless, itmustbeemphasizedthat
therearethesetwoaspects of theproblem,namely
launching and support, which can quite legitimately be
independently discussed..
When the supporting surface is curved in the direc-
tion of propagation of the wave,anotherimportant
factor is introduced because in these circumstances there
is always a tendency for radiation to be set up. If we
imagine a surface surrounded by air and purely reactive;
ie., lossless, then, no matter how small the curvature,
it is impossible t o avoid radiation. However, for highly
lossy surfaces which must also be reactive, it may be
possible to balance the power which would be radiated
from the corresponding ideal surface against some of the
power required to supply the losses in the actual sur-
face, and thus eliminate transfer of energy across the
interface. Wewill first discussa possible physical picture
 of the mechanism of radiation when a surface wave is
supported by a cylindrical surface, and then proceed
to calculate the radial and circumferentialpower.
where the field component H, is now dependent upon
11. THEAZIMUTHAL SURFACE WAVE space coordinates only, and

~
T o provide for the support of a close approach to the
Zenneckform of inhomogeneous plane
waveoutside
T 2 = - ju~(u &E). (2) +
a cylindrical surfaceof very slight curvature(see Fig. 1), Hence,
a, = - 4 f W 2 ( r ) , (3)
and for a circulating wave travellingin the +e direction,
we have
fl(e) = e+ps. (4)
From (1),(3), and (4)we therefore get

to which the general solution’ applicable hereis

Fig. l-Coordinate system and field pattern outside j-2 +

= B1H,(2)(T~) B2E-y‘1’(T~), (6)
supporting surface.
where both Y and Tare, asa rule, complex.
Since we are concerned with a surface wave, thefield
i t is essential that the surface be highly reactive, storing distribution in the neighborhood of the surface must
the energyof a trapped wave from which leakage occursclosely approach an evanescent structure. Thus, if the
as the wave progresses. Elliott [3] has examined the radius of the surface is r,, we must have Trs < v [ by I I I
behavior of this kind of azimuthal surface wave when
i t isassociatedwithdielectric-coatedandcorrugated
I I
only a few per cent and Y of the order of 100 upwards.
In these rather difficult circumstances, we can apply
cylindrical metal surfaces. His analysisleadstosur- Liouville’s approximations to the Bessel functions over
prisingly smallvalues of circumferentialattenuation, the limited range of interest to shorn that B1Hv(2)(Tr)
and although there is reasonable correlation between represents the outgoing or “incident” field whichde-
some values of the propagation coefficients for the two creases as r increases, while BZH-,(l)(Tr) is the corre-
types of supportingsurface,curious inconsistencies sponding “reflected” field. The presence of anysuch
seem to arise when these coefficients are small. No doubt reflected field implies a physical discontinuity disturbing
the difficulty liesvery largely in the approximations that the progress of the incident field. The field components
have to be made in trying to geta manageable solution can be written as
without departing too far from the very exacting condi-
+
tions of any practical application, but therealso seems E , = By+ H,- = e-jvs[C1H,(2)(Tr) C J L P ( l ) ( T r ) ](,7 ) +
t o be a lack of recognition of the part played by any
field reflectedfrom outerspacewhenthe cylindrical
symmetry is disturbed. The author has discussed [4]
this aspect of the problem of the circulating surface
wave in an attempt to trace the physical processes from
whichradiationarises in a practical case and to es-
timate its magnitude under prescribed conditions. The
aim of the present paperis t o develop the argument fur-
ther, by taking into account the effect of a field reflected and
from outside the surface and by progressing toa calcu- jve-jvO
lation of both the radial and circumferential components E, = E,+ + E,- = -
L(u + ju,1
of power.
A . Field Equations
+
qc,a,(z’(Tr) C2€Z-,(1)(TY)] (9)

Consider the cylindrical coordinate system shown in
Fig. 1, with field components E,, EOand H,, there being
no change in the y direction. Assuming that there is a
sinusoidal time variation e i w t and a homogeneous me-
dium of permittivity E , permeability p and conductiv-
ity u, we find that
We shall see later that the field in the vicinity of the
curved surface can never be purely evanescent, and that
even when there is no reflected field some radial flow
of energy mustoccur. Thus, with alossless medium out-
‘Since H - , ( ’ ) ( T ~ ) = e j ~ ~ ~ ( l )there
( T y )i,s only a constant factor
between these two forms and the first is preferred in this solution.
 1959 Barlow: Surfme Waves Supported by Cylindrical Surfaces S149

side the surface and a corresponding real value of T , the
quantity v is stillcomplex, providing forthe appropriate
circumferential attenuation of the wave. I t will be ob-
served that v and the complex coefficients C can be de-
termined from the matching at r = r, of the correspond-
ingtangentialcomponents of electric andmagnetic
fields above andbelow the surface.
Radiation from the circulating surface wave is ac-
companied by a backward tilt of the equiphase surfaces,
resulting in a departure from pure radial distribution
of the field. The wave impedance of the “incident” field,
looking radically out from the surface, transforms to the
correspondingwaveimpedance at r = ~0 and conae-
quentlywith a perfectlysmoothtransition in a ho-
mogeneous medium no “reflected” field would arise. In
a practical case, however, there is likely to be some dis-
continuityoutsidethesurfaceandalthough in those
circumstances the “reflected” field itself may be of no
great significance, its presence canhaveimportant
. consequencesinincreasing the power radiated. If we
think of the wave pattern between adjacent equi-phase
surfaces as stationary in space, the conditions closely
resemble those of the Eo1 waveguide beyond cutoff, in
which any (‘reflected” field from the termination pro-
vides for a flowof energy towards it. To investigate
this effect in the present application, n7e ill suppose
that the surface wave field transforms to a plane wave
- B. Calculationfor the Power Radiated
cylindrical wave and q may be positive or negative ac-
cording to whether thepower flows toward or away from
the surface.
Also for simplicity, we shall suppose that themedium
above the surface is air and that, compared with the
real part, the imaginary part of v is sufficiently small,
t o enable the latter to beneglected withoutcausing
serious error in writing down the equations to the field
distribution. Before proceeding on this basis to a cal-
culation of the power in the field, i t is perhaps of interest
to consider ( 5 ) in terms of thecomplex values of T and v.
Suppose that
j v = ar + j&; (11)
then, it is clear that botha! and /3 are inversely propor-
tional t o r when v is constant.
From ( 2 ) and (11) we get
and, for the particular condition
wpa = 2ap, (13)
the expression in (12) is purely real.
Unfortunately, this condition can only be established
at one particular radius and consequently does not yield
a n y simplified solution to thewave equation.
l h e radial power density p r is given by
P, = Re [E&?v*], (14)
where Ha* is thecomplex conjugate of Hv,

and suppose t h a t CI is real; then, using (7) and (8) with

r = 0 and remembering that
Jp2(Tr)-I- YP2(Tr)= J-,2(Tr) + Y-,2(Tr) (16)
with
2
- J,(Tr)Yp+1(Tr)= ->
J’~(T~)J”+I(T~) (17)
,I / I,’/‘
I ,, t‘t’, nTr
, / / / 1, ’
’ ” / ,/
,,’,’,,,/,‘,+,‘/,’,’,~,‘,,,#,,
we get from (14) at the surfacew k r e r = ra,
*,

Fig. 2-Backward tilt of equiphase surfaces

accompanying radiation.

at a finite height above the surface and that the re-

flection Coefficient p , at the supporting surfaceis propor-
tioned to the angle of tilt q of the equi-phase surfaces,
measured from the radical direction. (See Fig. 2 . )
Thus for small angles,
P S = - P07jr (10)
where po is the reflectioncoefficient arising from the
complete transformation of the surface wave toa plane
and p s is given by (10). If, for example, Xo=0.0314 m with r s = 1 m, we have
If, when looking radially outwards from the surface, T = 200, and takingv as one or two per cent greater than
thewaveimpedanceintheabsence of any reflected (I-?‘,),it is easy to see that - Y,(Tr,)>>J,( Trs) so that
field is 2’ and the free space wave impedance is 20,we
can write

NOW

zo = ,\,/z
and
Taking 9 as a purely real angle,

and
where
Using (27), (35), (loa), and (36) we can therefore re-
write (18) as

and

The first term in this expression represents the power

radizted as a result of the curvatureof the surface, irre-

[ U -
Tr,
+
{ JV2(Tr,) YP2(Tr,)
1] . (26)
spective of any “reflected” field. The second term is the
power thrown back by direct reflection of the surface
wave field in its conversion to a free-space cylindrical
Since the surface impedance must havea very large in- wave, and will generally be quite negligible. The third
ductive component (of value -X+), we can neglect Rt- term, which, as a rule, is also quite small but is some-
compared with X+and we then find timesimportant,providesfortheadditionalradial
I P a l = 1. (27) power arising from the superposition of the “reflected”
field on the “incident”field, as in a cutoffwaveguide with
Within the range of interest near the surface the Liou- a mismatchedtermination. I t will be observed that
ville approximations to the Bessel functions can be ap- since 7 is negative for a backward tilt of the equiphase
plied because the condition surfaces, this condition corresponds to enhanced radia-
tion as would be expected.
(T?‘)2[(Tr)2 4v2] From (7) and (15) we have
<< 1 (28)
4[v2 - ( T T ) ~ ] ~
Hu = [Cle-jvBB,(2)(T~)][l I I
- p en]. (38) -
is easily satisfied in the cases of interest. Thus, Taking into consideration that p is porportional to 9
which is a very small angle, we can neglect the effect of
I
p = pI ej+ in (38) on the tilt of the equiphase surfaces,
and for the purpose of calculating 7 we can write
and
B, = + ) .
C I ~ J , ~ ( T T YP2(Tr) (39)
where

where
&f = 41 - (Tr,/v)2; (3 1) and 7 is the angle of deviation from pure radial distribu-
and, for the large values of Y with which we are con- tion subtended at the center of curvature of the sup-
cerned, porting surface.
1959 Barlow: Surface Waces Supported
Cylind.rical
by Surfaces Sl5l

Thus Y = 205:
a) When I,= 1 m, (41) gives
71 = - 3.5 degrees at the surface
and from (37) we find that
I n order to get
a better ideaof the relative magnitudes
of the terms in (37),i t will be helpful to takea numerical p , = 1.2C12[1- 3.7 X +
0.551 = l.86C12,
example and compute the various quantities with the
b) When r s = 1.01 m, then 7 = -2.16 degrees at the
help of the Liouville approximations to theBessel func-
surface
tions.
Thus, using (29), ( 3 0 ) , (31), and (32), together with and
the corresponding expressions for the order (v+l) and p , = 1.19c1?[1 - 1.4 x 10-3 0.3781 = l.64C12.+
their counterparts of negative order, after inserting the
I t will be observed that at the supporting surface, the
appropriate values in (19) and (20), we find that
angle of tilt 7 of the equiphase surfaces decreases as rs
increases and that the power radiated behaves in much
thesameway.Cndertheconditionspostulated,the
third term in (37) representing the component of the
radial power density arising from the field reflected from
outer space, is quite significant, but some of the quan-
tities in this expression change so rapidly with rs that a
closer analysisis necessary t o establish precisely the
importance of the "reflected" field in this respect over a
wider range of values.
. (1 + v + l
(*)2}]v, C. Calculation for the Power Circdating around the Cy-
lindrical Surface
Q1 Y -{1
V Gz +(2)2}{-l]2p, T h e circumferential power outsidethesurfaceis
~TY, v + l given b y
n r=m
2 TY,l i l PO= J Re [ -&ll,*]dr per unit length in
(v + 1) r=rs
the y direction,
(48)

where use has been made of the approximations, and, for thepurpose of calculatingthisquantity, no
great inaccuracy arises when we neglect the reflection
terms in (7) and (9) for the field components.
Assuming that the medium outside the surfaceis air,
we find that
and
-Jv2(Ty) + -1 JTv2(Tr)]dr
Y
(49)

and, therefore [SI,

where M has the value

for the Bessel functions of order (Y 1). +

These approximations are only valid for M<<1, and
over a comparativelysmallrange of values of (TrJ
relative to v.
Suppose that we again consider the caseof X 0 = 0.0314
m (;.e., f = 9.56X lo9 cis) so that T = 2a/Xo = 200, and
that we make calculations for v = 205, with I , = 1 m
amd rs = 1.01 m. Although it is difficult to get accurate
numerical values, it is hoped that the calculations will
besufficient t o show therelativeimportance of the
different terms and the principal factors on which the
radiated power depends.
In applying ( S O ) , we use the large argument approxi-
mations for the Bessel functions when r-00 and the
Liouville approximations together with those given by
(46) and (47) when r = rs. This leads to a' rather long
and involved expression for POb u t i t can be simplified
without serious error if we remember that v = Tr, t o give
C12
Po = - [I - R],
where and, since

CY = 4.4 db/m.

Although (54) only applies over a very limited range of

values of r,, i t is apparent that LII increases rapidly as rs
decreases.

111. DISCUSSION
ON THE EFFECT
OF THE FIELD
REFLECTED FROM OUTSIDETHE SURFACE
IN RELATION TO THE POWERRADIATED

I t is well known [l] t h a t twohighlyreactive flat

J parallel surfaces separated by a distance which is large
compared with the wavelength, will support waves of
the Zenneck type in association with each surface (see

“I“
2v
Fig. 4). If thesurfacesareboth lossless, the power
carried by the fieldsis entirely tangential, but when
theyhave finite losses there will beacomponent of
power directed toward each surface and the adjacent
1
equiphaseplanes will betiltedforward.Inaddition,
energy will flow towards the surfaces as a result of the
reflected evanescent field whichisincidentonthem.
With only one surface, the Zenneck field would be ex-
For the case already discussed in which Xo=O.O314 m pected to extend to an infinite distance from it and the
T = 200, r s = 1 m, and v=205, we find that K =0.0027 presence of the second surface must clearly disturb that
and PO=1.88Cl2. distribution of field in such a way as to set up a sup-
plementary flow of energywhich is in the nature of
D. Rate of Attenuation of CirculatingWaveDueto radiation from the first surface.
Radiation
Under the particular conditionsconsidered, i t is clear
that reasonable approximations are obtainedif, in place
of (37) and (51), we write

and

WE0
Fig. &Hybrid Zenneck-TEM wave between highly
reactive parallel plane surfaces.
On this basis, thecircumferentialattenuation of the
wave which arises from radiation(see Fig. 3) is
Between adjacent equiphase planes stretching across
from one surfaceto the other, thefield approximates an
evanescent E mode of the kind supported by parallel
metal plates and with a mismatched termination pro- to
duce a reflected field accompanied by theflow of energy
towards it. Indeed, we can think of this mechanism as
themeanswherebyradiation is setupbyobstacles
which, remote from the supporting surface, must nec-
essarily disturb the smoothprogress of the wave.
When the supporting surface becomes slightly cylin-
drical, the field pattern outside it remains
of similar form
Fig. 3-Radial and circumferential components of power. but assumes a divergent distribution with the equiphase
1959 B a . r h : Surface Waves Supported by Cylind&al Surfaces
surfacestiltedbackwardsby a smallanglefrom the
radial direction. As shown in Section 11, the field is no
longer purely evanescent and the conditions require a
flow of energy outwards from the surface, irrespective
of the existence of any reflected field.
IV. DISCUSSION
ON THE EFFECT
OF LOSSESIN
THE SUPPORTINGSURFACE
In order to support a surface wave on a cylindrical
surface we know that it must be highly reactiveso that a
substantial proportion of the energy associated with the
waveisstoredwithin the surface.As the wave pro-
gresses, some of this energy passes across the supporting
surface and is thereby radiated. There is,however, a
considerable amount of energy also in the field outside
the surface.When the mediumbelow thesurfaceis
lossy, it must absorb power from the wave, and in the
case of a flat surface, theprocess involves a forward tilt
of the equiphase planes and a flow of energy across the
interface into the surface.A very slight curvatureof the
surface tends to reversethat flow of energy and itseems
reasonable to conclude that there must be a condition
for which no energy passes in either direction across the
supporting surface. Since, in these circumstances, there
is bound to be some radiation as well as absorption of
energy by the medium below the surface, there will be a
progressive attenuation of the field both outside and in-
side the surface.
V. CONCLUSIONS
T h e problem of calculating the power radiated by a
surfacewavecirculatingaround a cylindricalsurface
and the corresponding circumferential power is a diffi-
cult one because it leads to expressions that cannoteas-
S153
ily be evaluated. By using some approximations, solu-
tions have been obtained which should be applicable to
a limited range of values. The analysis helps to eluci-
date the physical mechanism that characterizes the be-
havior of this form of wave.
VI. ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The author is indebtedto hiscolleague, Dr.John
Brown, for manyhelpful discussions on this subject.
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~ ...~.~ ~. ~ _ _
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