QuickTime Movies of Electromagnetic Waves

Introduction

All movies listed below were produced from exact mathematical formulas using an Apple Macintosh computer and Mathematica with the kernel running on a Digital Equipment DECstation. You will need QuickTime software to play these movies. Some of the movies could be best viewed on a better than 16-bit color monitor.

This page is maintained by Hsiu C. Han, and was last updated on January 7, 1998. Feel free to download, use, and distribute to others the animations listed herein. Please send your comments and suggestions to hsiu@iastate.edu.

Acknowledgments

The author wishes to thank Mr. Herman Harjono for his assistance in the production of these animation sequences and Dr. Michael J. Tsuk at Digital Equipment Corp. for the inspiration. The production of the movies listed here has been partially supported by NSF Grant No. ECS-9624785.

References

1. D. H. Staelin, A. W. Morgenthaler, and J. A. Kong, Electromagnetic Waves, Prentice Hall, 1994.
2. L. C. Shen and J. A. Kong, Applied Electromagnetism, Third Edition, PWS, 1995.

List of Movies

Click on the section title for more information. (This part is still under construction.)

Introduction to Waves

	Lesson one		214 KB
	Riding the wave (phase velocity)		986 KB
	Constant phase fronts		162 KB

Polarization

	Linear (A=0)		76 KB
	A 3D view of the A=0 case		262 KB
	Linear (A=1, phi=0)		166 KB
	Linear (A=2, phi=0)		216 KB
	Left-handed circular (A=1, phi=pi/2)		202 KB
	A 3D view of LHCP (A=1, phi=pi/2)		284 KB
	Right-handed circular (A=1, phi=-pi/2)		202 KB
	Right-handed elliptical (A=2, phi=-pi/2)		315 KB
	Left-handed elliptical (A=1, phi=pi/4)		201 KB

Waves in Media (1 MHz)

	Propagation in good conductor (copper)		107 KB
	Propagation in poor conductor (pure water)		242 KB
	Evanescent wave in plasma (fp=2MHz)		154 KB

Reflection and Transmission at Planar Interface

	Less dense medium to denser medium
	Incidence and transmission		649 KB
	Incidence, reflection, and transmission		625 KB
	Denser medium to less dense medium
	Incidence and transmission		776 KB
	Incidence, reflection, and transmission		763 KB
	At the critical angle		769 KB
	Total internal reflection		575 KB
	Changing the angle of incidence		1.33 MB

Parallel-Plate Waveguide

	TE1 mode		324 KB
	TE2 mode		494 KB
	TE1 mode at cutoff		46 KB
	TE1 mode below cutoff		65 KB
	TE2 mode below cutoff		68 KB
	Changing frequency of TE1 mode		647 KB

Dielectric-Slab Waveguide

	Symmetric TE1 mode		762 KB
	Anti-symmetric TE2 mode		922 KB
	Changing frequency of TE2 mode		1.38 MB

Transmission-Line Theory

	Formation of voltage standing waves (SW)
	Matched load		168 KB
	Short-circuit load		390 KB
	Open-circuit load		402 KB
	Capacitive load		273 KB
	Inductive load		359 KB
	Complex gamma plane and SWP		2.8 MB

Normal Modes in Transmission-Line Resonator

	Pre-charged short-open resonator
	Lowest 3 modes		394 KB
	Sum of the lowest 30 modes		169 KB
	Pre-charged short-short resonator
	Lowest 3 modes and their sum		417 KB
	Sum of the lowest 30 modes		195 KB

Transients on Transmission Lines

	Resistive load
	Rsn=5, Rln=5		244 KB
	Rsn=5, Rln=0.2		267 KB
	Rsn=0.2, Rln=5		263 KB
	Rsn=0.2, Rln=0.2		260 KB
	Capacitive load
	Rsn=1, Rln>1		747 KB
	Rsn=1, Rln<1		737 KB
	Inductive load
	Rsn=1, Rln>1		988 KB
	Rsn=1, Rln<1		992 KB

Hertzian Dipole Antenna

	A classic dipole movie		700 KB
	E-field and E-plane pattern		752 KB
	H-field and H-plane pattern		867 KB
	3D radiation field pattern		412 KB

Two-Dipole Antenna Array

	1 wavelength apart, in-phase
	E-field and E-plane pattern		841 KB
	H-field and H-plane pattern		1 MB
	3D element pattern		412 KB
	3D array pattern		354 KB
	3D resultant pattern		291 KB
	1/2 wavelengths apart, in-phase
	E-field and E-plane pattern		292 KB
	H-field and H-plane pattern		418 KB
	3D element pattern		412 KB
	3D array pattern		359 KB
	3D resultant pattern		291 KB
	1/2 wavelengths apart, 90-degree phase
	E-field and E-plane pattern		682 KB
	H-field and H-plane pattern		885 KB
	3D element pattern		412 KB
	3D array pattern		294 KB
	3D resultant pattern		291 KB
	1/2 wavelengths apart, 180-degree phase
	E-field and E-plane pattern		940 KB
	H-field and H-plane pattern		1.2 MB
	3D element pattern		412 KB
	3D array pattern		302 KB
	3D resultant pattern		275 KB

Four-Dipole Antenna Array

	1/2 wavelengths apart, in-phase
	E-field and E-plane pattern		189 KB
	H-field and H-plane pattern		327 KB
	3D element pattern		412 KB
	3D array pattern		272 KB
	3D resultant pattern		223 KB
	1/2 wavelengths apart, 90-degree phase
	E-field and E-plane pattern		302 KB
	H-field and H-plane pattern		517 KB
	3D element pattern		412 KB
	3D array pattern		249 KB
	3D resultant pattern		251 KB
	1/2 wavelengths apart, 180-degree phase
	E-field and E-plane pattern		785 KB
	H-field and H-plane pattern		1 MB
	3D element pattern		412 KB
	3D array pattern		249 KB
	3D resultant pattern		271 KB