Classical Electrodynamics · Problem 13.2

Radiating Systems, Multipole Fields and Radiation — John David Jackson

Physics — E&M · energy-transfer-harmonic-oscillator

Problem

Time-varying electromagnetic fields E(x,t)\mathbf{E}(\mathbf{x}, t) and B(x,t)\mathbf{B}(\mathbf{x}, t) of finite duration act on a charged particle of charge ee and mass mm bound harmonically to the origin with natural frequency ω0\omega_0 and small damping constant Γ\Gamma. The fields may be caused by a passing charged particle or some other external source. The charge's motion in response to the fields is nonrelativistic and small in amplitude compared to the scale of spatial variation of the fields (dipole approximation). Show that the energy transferred to the oscillator in the limit of very small damping is ΔE=πe2m∣E(ω0)∣2\Delta E = \frac{\pi e^2}{m} |\mathbf{E}(\omega_0)|^2 where E(ω)\mathbf{E}(\omega) is the symmetric Fourier transform of E(0,t)\mathbf{E}(0, t): E(0,t)=12π∫−∞∞E(ω)e−iωt dω;E(ω)=12π∫−∞∞E(0,t)eiωt dt\mathbf{E}(0, t) = \frac{1}{\sqrt{2\pi}} \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} \mathbf{E}(\omega) e^{-i\omega t}\, d\omega; \qquad \mathbf{E}(\omega) = \frac{1}{\sqrt{2\pi}} \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} \mathbf{E}(0, t) e^{i\omega t}\, dt

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