Lecture 6 Antenna And Wave Propagation Wave Equation

Wave Equation

TIME-VARYING ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS

The first two of Maxwell’s equations in differential form, as given by

⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝜕𝔅
∇ × ℰ⃗ = − … … … … … . (1)
𝜕𝑡

⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝜕𝔇
⃗⃗⃗ = 𝐽⃗ +
∇×ℋ … … … … … . (2)
𝜕𝑡

These are first order, coupled differential equations; that is, both the unknown fields
(ℰ and ℋ) appear in each equation. Usually it is very desirable, for convenience in
solving for (ℰ and ℋ), to uncouple these equations. This can be accomplished at the
expense of increasing the order of the differential equations to second order. That is,
⃗⃗⃗⃗ = 𝜇ℋ
𝔅 ⃗⃗⃗ and 𝔇
⃗⃗⃗⃗ = 𝜀 ℰ then we repeat (1) and (2),

⃗⃗⃗
𝜕ℋ
∇ × ℰ⃗ = −𝜇 … … … … … . (3)
𝜕𝑡

𝜕ℰ⃗
⃗⃗⃗ = 𝜎ℰ⃗ + 𝜀
∇×ℋ … … … … … . (4)
𝜕𝑡

Taking the curl (∇ ×)of both sides of each of equations 3 and 4 and assuming a
homogeneous medium, we can write that

⃗⃗⃗
𝜕ℋ 𝜕
∇ × ∇ × ℰ⃗ = −𝜇∇ × =−𝜇 ⃗⃗⃗ ) … … … . . (5)
(∇ × ℋ
𝜕𝑡 𝜕𝑡

𝜕ℰ⃗ 𝜕
⃗⃗⃗ = 𝜎∇ × ℰ⃗ + 𝜀∇ ×
∇×∇×ℋ = 𝜎∇ × ℰ⃗ + 𝜀 (∇ × ℰ⃗) … … … … … . (6)
𝜕𝑡 𝜕𝑡

Substituting (3) into the right side of (5) and using the vector identity

Technical College / communication Dept. 1 By: Ghufran M. Hatem

 Lecture 6 Antenna And Wave Propagation Wave Equation

∇ × ∇ × 𝐹 = ∇(∇. F) − ∇2 𝐹

Into the left side, we can rewrite (5) as

𝜕 𝜕 𝜕ℰ
∇(∇. ℰ) − ∇2 ℰ = −𝜇 (∇ × ℋ) = −𝜇 (𝜎ℰ + 𝜀 )
𝜕𝑡 𝜕𝑡 𝜕𝑡

2
𝜕 𝜕2
∇(∇. ℰ) − ∇ ℰ = −𝜇𝜎 ℰ + 𝜇𝜀 2 ℰ … … . (7)
𝜕𝑡 𝜕𝑡

Substituting third Maxwell’s equation

⃗𝔇 ⃗⃗⃗ = 𝜀 ∇. ℰ = 𝜌𝑣 then ∇. ℰ = 𝜌𝑣 … … . (8)

⃗⃗⃗ = 𝜀 ℰ then ∇. ⃗𝔇
𝜀

Then equation (7) will be

2
1 𝜕 𝜕2
∇ ℰ = ( ∇𝜌𝑣 ) + 𝜇𝜎 ℰ + 𝜇𝜀 2 ℰ … … . (9)
𝜀 𝜕𝑡 𝜕𝑡

n a similar manner, by substituting (4) into the right side of (6) and using the vector
identity of (3-5) in the left side of (6), we can rewrite it as

𝜕
∇(∇. ℋ) − ∇2 ℋ = 𝜎∇ × ℰ + 𝜀 ∇ × ℰ … … … … … . (10)
𝜕𝑡

Substituting4th Maxwell’s equation

∇. 𝔅 = 0 = 𝜇∇. ℋ = 0

⃗⃗⃗
𝜕ℋ
∇ × ℰ⃗ = −𝜇
𝜕𝑡

Then (6) will be

𝜕ℋ 𝜕2
∇2 ℋ = 𝜎𝜇 + 𝜀𝜇 ℋ…….. (11)
𝜕𝑡 𝜕𝑡 2

Technical College / communication Dept. 2 By: Ghufran M. Hatem

 Lecture 6 Antenna And Wave Propagation Wave Equation

Equations 9 and 11 are referred to as the vector wave equations for ℰ and ℋ. For
solving an electromagnetic boundary-value problem, the equations that must be
satisfied are Maxwell’s equations. Often, the forms of the wave equations are preferred
over those of Maxwell’s equations.

For source-free regions (𝜌𝑣 = 0) a lossless media (σ = 0), the wave equations (9) and
(11) simplify to

2
𝜕2
∇ ℰ = 𝜇𝜀 2 ℰ … … . (12)
𝜕𝑡

𝜕2
∇2 ℋ = 𝜀𝜇 ℋ…….. (13)
𝜕𝑡 2

This is a linear, second-order, homogeneous partial differential equation that describes

an electric field that travels from one location to another – in short, a propagating wave.
Here is a quick reminder of the meaning of each of the characteristics of the wave
equation:

Linear: The time and space derivatives of the wave function (𝐸⃗⃗ 𝑜𝑟𝐻
⃗⃗ in this case)
appear to the first power and without cross terms.

Second-order: The highest derivative present is the second derivative.

Homogeneous: All terms involve the wave function or its derivatives, so no forcing or
source terms are present.

Partial: The wave function is a function of multiple variables (space and time in this
case).

Technical College / communication Dept. 3 By: Ghufran M. Hatem

 Lecture 6 Antenna And Wave Propagation Wave Equation

This form of the wave equation doesn’t just tell you that you have a the constants
multiplying the time derivative, because the general form of the wave equation is this

1 𝜕2 A
∇2 A = …….. (13)
𝑣 2 𝜕𝑡 2

Where (v) is the speed of propagation of the wave. Thus, for the electric and magnetic
fields

1
𝑣=√
𝜀° 𝜇°

1
= √𝜀° 𝜇°
𝑣

Then
1
= 𝜀° 𝜇°
𝑣2

Inserting values for the magnetic permeability and electric permittivity of free space,

1
𝑣=√
8: 8541878 × 10−12 𝐶 2 𝑠 2 /𝑘𝑔 𝑚3 × 4𝜋10−7 𝑚 𝑘𝑔/𝐶 2

1
𝑣=√ −16 2 2
= 2: 9979 × 108 𝑚/𝑠
8: 987552 × 10 𝑠 /𝑚

It was the agreement of the calculated velocity of propagation with the measured
speed of light that caused Maxwell to write, ‘‘light is an electromagnetic disturbance
propagated through the field according to electromagnetic laws.’’

TIME-HARMONIC ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS

Technical College / communication Dept. 4 By: Ghufran M. Hatem

 Lecture 6 Antenna And Wave Propagation Wave Equation

For time-harmonic fields (time variations of the form 𝑒 𝑗𝜔𝑡 ), the wave equations can be
derived using a similar procedure as in previous section for the general time varying
fields, starting with Maxwell’s equations. One set can be obtained from the other by
𝜕 𝜕2
replacing = 𝑗𝜔, and = −𝜔2
𝜕𝑡 𝜕𝑡 2

We can write each, respectively, as

1
∇2 E = ( ∇𝜌𝑣 ) + 𝑗𝜔𝜇𝜎𝐸 − 𝜔2 𝜇𝜀E = 𝛾 2 𝐸 … … . (14)
𝜀
∇2 H = 𝑗𝜎𝜇𝜔𝐸 − 𝜇𝜀𝜔2 H=𝛾 2 𝐻…….. (15)
Where

𝛾 2 = 𝑗𝜔𝜇𝜎 − 𝜔2 𝜇𝜀 = 𝑗𝜔𝜇(𝜎 + 𝑗𝜔𝜀)

𝛾 = 𝛼 + 𝑗𝛽 = Propagation Constant

𝛼 = Attenuation constant (Np/m)

𝛽 =Phase Constant

For source-free regions (𝜌𝑣 = 0) a lossless media (σ = 0), the wave equations (14) and
(15) simplify to

∇2 E = −𝜔2 𝜇𝜀E = −𝛽2 E …….. (16)

2
∇2 H = −𝜔2 𝜇𝜀H== −𝛽 H ……(17)
2
Where 𝛽 = 𝜔2 𝜇𝜀

H.W:
Derive the vector wave equations 16a and 17 for time-harmonic fields using the
Maxwell equations for time-harmonic fields.

Technical College / communication Dept. 5 By: Ghufran M. Hatem