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Linear Relationship Between Frequency and Energy of A Wave Train
Linear Relationship Between Frequency and Energy of A Wave Train
Linear Relationship Between Frequency and Energy of A Wave Train
We demonstrate that, under Lorentz transformation, the frequency and the energy of an electro-
magnetic wave train form a linear relationship, emulating the equation of photon energy E = h̄ω.
This shows that wave-particle duality of light is compatible under space time transformation.
Wave-particle duality is one of the most fundamental The above transformation of fields E, B will inevitably
characters of quanta and is revealed by the linear depen- lead to variation of (S, P) in different frames.
dence between energy and frequency of a particle. In On the other hand, viewed from different frames, the
most cases, treatment of physical entities deals only with frequency of EM wave follows the formulas of relativistic
one of the properties at a time. For photon, one of the Doppler effect
basic elementary particle, the wave property is studied by
examining the few-cycle light pulses [1–5], while the par- ω ′ = γω(1 − β cos θ)
ticle property is learned by investigating the interaction sin θ
tan θ′ = (4)
of photon with other particles [6–10]. γ(cos θ − β)
Here, we demonstrate that under Lorentz transforma-
tion, the energy of an electromagnetic wave train is lin- θ is the angle between β and the wave propagation direc-
early dependent on the frequency of that same wave train. tion k observed in frame F .
Our model is based on the observation that in electro- We will show that for any given plane EM wave train
dynamics, space time transformation can simultaneously under Lorentz transformation, |P′ | = E′ ×B′ ∆t′ /µ varies
lead to both Doppler effect and a change of magnitude of in the same way as ω ′ . Consequently
electromagnetic (EM) fields. Consequently, there exists |P′ | ∝ ω ′ (5)
a relationship between Doppler frequency shift and the
energy flow change of plane EM wave train due to space Throughout our discussion, the Gaussian units are used,
time transformation. It turns out that this relationship, so for the electric and magnetic fields (E, B) in a plane
resulting completely from wave theory, is linear, emulat- EM wave, we have
ing the equation of photon energy E = h̄ω.
For a plane EM wave train of duration ∆t, the time |E| = |B| (6)
rate of energy flow through unit area is related to the
The primed quantities are evaluated at (x′ , t′ ) in frame
fields (E, B) of the wave by Poynting’s theorem ′
F , while the unprimed quantities are evaluated at (x, t)
1 in frame F . (x′ , t′ ) and (x, t) are related by Lorentz
S= E×B (1) transformation
µ
then the total energy flow of the wave train through unit t′ = γ(t − β · x)
area is γ−1
x′ = x + β(β · x) − tγβ (7)
β2
P = S∆t (2)
To prove eqn. (5), we first discuss two special cases,
The values of (E, B) are both dependent on the se- 1) β is parallel to the propagation direction k. 2) β is
lected reference frame. The transformation of electro- perpendicular to propagation direction k. Then we gen-
magnetic fields from reference frame F to frame F ′ mov- eralize to the situation of arbitrary angle θ between β
ing with velocity v relative to F are [11] and k.
γ2 For β parallel to the propagation direction k in frame
[E′ ]x′ ,t′ = [γ(E + β × B) − β(β · E)]x,t F , as shown in fig. 1, β · E = 0, β · B = 0, then from eqn.
γ+1
(3), fields in frame F ′ are
γ2
[B′ ]x′ ,t′ = [γ(B − β × E) − β(β · B)]x,t E′ = γ(E + β × B)
γ+1
v 1 B′ = γ(B − β × E) (8)
β = ,γ = √ (3)
c 1 − β2 then with eqn. (6)
E′ = γ(1 + β)E
∗ peifeng
B′ = γ(1 + β)B (9)
w@yahoo.com
2
x2 x2
F F'
F w k F' w' = wg(1+b) c D t'=c D t/g
b k'
w cDt w' = wg
x1 x1
x3 b k'
c Dt k
c D t'=c D tg(1-b) x3
x2 x2
E E'=Eg(1+b)
F F' F F' |E'|=|E|g
b E x1 b x1
FIG. 1. β is parallel to wave propagation k in frame F . The FIG. 2. β is perpendicular to wave propagation k in frame
left column shows the wave train and corresponding fields F . The left column shows the wave train and corresponding
E, B in frame F , the right column shows the wave train and fields E, B in frame F , the right column shows the wave train
corresponding fields E′ , B′ in frame F ′ and corresponding fields E′ , B′ in frame F ′ . Note that the
direction of wave propagation and Poynting vector differs in
the two frames.
Since the magnetic permeability µ is invariant in any
frame, the Poynting vector observed in frame F ′ is
Next is the calculation for β perpendicular to the prop-
′ E′ × B′ E×B agation direction k. For simplicity, we assume the electric
S = = γ 2 (1 + β)2 = γ 2 (1 + β)2 S(10)
µ µ field E parallel to β. The explicit form of eqn. (3) are
The duration of the wave train in frame F ′ is E1′ = E1
E2′ = γ(E2 − βB3 )
∆t′ = γ(1 − β)∆t (11)
E3′ = γ(E3 + βB2 )
using the identity B1′ = B1
1 B2′ = γ(B2 + βE3)
γ(1 − β) = (12)
γ(1 + β) B3′ = γ(B3 − βB2) (17)
we arrive at From the configuration shown in fig. 2, the fields ob-
1 served in frame F ′ are
∆t′ = ∆t (13)
γ(1 + β)
E1′ = E1
The energy flow of wave train through unit area ob- E2′ = −γβB3
served in frame F ′ is E3′ = 0
P′ = S′ ∆t′ = γ 2 (1 + β)2 S
1
∆t = γ(1 + β)P
(14) B1′ = 0
γ(1 + β) B2′ = 0
′
On the other hand, the Doppler frequency shift in eqn. B3 = γB3 (18)
(4) at θ = π is
with eqn. (6), it follows
ω ′ = γ(1 + β)ω (15)
|E′ | = γ|E|, |B′ | = γ|B| (19)
Eqn. (14) and (15) show an identical variation of P
and ω under Lorentz transformation. Eqn. (5) comes as The magnitude of Poynting vector is
|P′ | |P| 1 ′ 1
= = const (16) |S′ | = |E × H′ | = γ 2 |E × H| = γ 2 |S| (20)
ω′ ω µ µ
In the case that β is in the same direction of wave The duration of the wave train is
propagation k and θ = 0, we just need to replace β in
∆t′ = ∆t/γ (21)
the above equation with −β, and the same result (16)
yields.
3