Issues

 / 

1973

 / 

March

  

Reviews of topical problems


The momentum-energy tensor of the electromagnetic field

The question of the form of the momentum-energy tensor of the electromagnetic field (in a medium) remains debatable to this day. The dilemma of whether the photon momentum in a medium is equal to $nhv/c$ (Minkowski) or $hv/nc$ (Abraham) therefore remains unresolved (n is the refractive index). Simple considerations based on the law governing the motion of the center of gravity of the ``field + medium'' system lead, however, to a unique choice of Abraham's tensor. The Jones--Richards experiments do not contradict this, although they do not lead to a solution of the problem. In principle, measurements of the Jones--Richards type (of the pressure of light in media) in the pulsed regime would yield the solution of the problem. Considerable space is allotted to an analysis of the question of the ``rejection'' of Abraham's tensor, a question advanced by Laue and supported by many authors. It is shown that the use of the Laue criterion is based on an error in the very formulation of the question. The arguments advanced in this connection are illustrated by using as an example analogous relations in the case of the motion of a simple static system, namely a charged capacitor. The conservations laws applied to a static electromagnetic field having angular momentum also lead to Abraham's expression for the field momentum density.

Fulltext pdf (2.2 MB)
Fulltext is also available at DOI: 10.1070/PU1973v016n03ABEH005188
PACS: 03.50.De, 41.20.Jb (all)
DOI: 10.1070/PU1973v016n03ABEH005188
URL: https://ufn.ru/en/articles/1973/3/f/
Citation: Skobel’tsyn D V "The momentum-energy tensor of the electromagnetic field" Sov. Phys. Usp. 16 381–401 (1973)
BibTexBibNote ® (generic)BibNote ® (RIS)MedlineRefWorks

Оригинал: Скобельцын Д В «О тензоре импульс-энергии электромагнитного поля» УФН 110 253–292 (1973); DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.0110.197306d.0253

Cited by (40) ↓ Similar articles (20)

  1. Spirichev Yu A Uspekhi Fizicheskikh Nauk 188 325 (2018) [Spirichev Yu A Phys.-Usp. 61 303 (2018)]
  2. (Relativistic Plasma Waves and Particle Beams as Coherent and Incoherent Radiation Sources II) Vol. Relativistic Plasma Waves and Particle Beams as Coherent and Incoherent Radiation Sources II On the energy-momentum tensor of light in strong fields: an all optical view of the Abraham-Minkowski controversy Dino A.JaroszynskiAlexander J.MacleodAdamNobleDino A.Jaroszynski10234 (2017) p. 102340F
  3. Toptygin I N Uspekhi Fizicheskikh Nauk 187 1007 (2017) [Toptygin I N Phys.-Usp. 60 935 (2017)]
  4. Jiménez J L, Campos I, Roa-Neri J A E Eur. J. Phys. 38 045201 (2017)
  5. Tsoy V I SP 17 5 (2017)
  6. Kryuchkov S I, Lanfear N A, Suslov S K Springer Proceedings In Mathematics & Statistics Vol. Analytic Number Theory, Modular Forms and q-Hypergeometric SeriesComplex Form of Classical and Quantum Electrodynamics221 Chapter 24 (2017) p. 409
  7. Silveirinha M G Phys. Rev. A 96 (3) (2017)
  8. Toptygin I N, Levina K Uspekhi Fizicheskikh Nauk 186 146 (2016)
  9. Nesterenko V V, Nesterenko A V 57 (3) (2016)
  10. Electromagnetic Phenomena in Matter 1 (2015) p. 689
  11. Aliev I, Melikyants D Bulletin Of The MSRU (Physics And Mathematics, 4) 83 (2015)
  12. Datsyuk V V, Pavlyniuk O R Phys. Rev. A 91 (2) (2015)
  13. Macovei M A J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. 46 045502 (2013)
  14. Pinheiro M J Phys. Scr. 84 055004 (2011)
  15. Brevik I, Ellingsen S Å Annals Of Physics 326 754 (2011)
  16. Milonni P W, Boyd R W Adv. Opt. Photon. 2 519 (2010)
  17. Davidovich M V Tech. Phys. 55 630 (2010)
  18. Davidovich M V Uspekhi Fizicheskikh Nauk 180 623 (2010)
  19. Veselago V G Uspekhi Fizicheskikh Nauk 179 689 (2009) [Veselago V G Phys.-Usp. 52 649 (2009)]
  20. Zuev V S, Zueva G Ya Opt. Spectrosc. 107 614 (2009)
  21. Zuev V S, Zueva G Ya Opt. Spectrosc. 106 248 (2009)
  22. Obukhov Y N Annalen Der Physik 520 830 (2008)
  23. Damour T Annalen Der Physik 520 619 (2008)
  24. Pfeifer R N C, Nieminen T A et al Rev. Mod. Phys. 79 1197 (2007)
  25. Garcı́a-Segundo C, Ramos-Ortiz G, Villagrán-Muniz M Optics Communications 225 115 (2003)
  26. Obukhov Yu N, Hehl F W Physics Letters A 311 277 (2003)
  27. Nelson D F Phys. Rev. A 44 3985 (1991)
  28. Suttorp L G Physics in the Making (1989) p. 167
  29. Suttorp L G Physics in the Making (1989) p. 167
  30. Lai H M Physics Letters A 100 177 (1984)
  31. Brevik I Physics Letters A 88 335 (1982)
  32. Boerner W -M Topics In Current Physics Vol. Inverse Scattering Problems in OpticsPolarization Utilization in Electromagnetic Inverse Scattering20 Chapter 7 (1980) p. 237
  33. Novak M M Fortschr. Phys. 28 285 (1980)
  34. Brevik I Physics Reports 52 133 (1979)
  35. Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics (1979) p. 447
  36. Kokodii N G J Appl Spectrosc 27 1467 (1977)
  37. Konopleva N P Radiophys Quantum Electron 19 729 (1976)
  38. Klima R, Petrzilka V A J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. 8 829 (1975)
  39. Klíma R, Petržílka V A Annals Of Physics 92 395 (1975)
  40. Tangherlini F R Phys. Rev. A 12 139 (1975)

© 1918–2024 Uspekhi Fizicheskikh Nauk
Email: ufn@ufn.ru Editorial office contacts About the journal Terms and conditions