Macroscopic field - seeking a thorough exposition

In summary: I'm old school.In summary, the conversation revolves around finding a rigorous and thorough exposition of the definition of the macroscopic electromagnetic field. One person mentions being disappointed by Jackson's derivation and seeking something closer to the state of the art on this subject. Another person suggests checking out various books on continuous media, including Robinson and de Groot. Ultimately, Robinson's book is recommended as it addresses the topic of interest in a way that aligns with the conversation participants' thoughts.
  • #1
coquelicot
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TL;DR Summary
I'm seeking a thorough exposition of the definition of the macroscopic EM field
Of the classical books about EM, I found that Jackson's is the only one that touches with some rigour the subject of deriving the macroscopic field from the microscopic one.
Unfortunately, I am quite disappointed by the derivation of Jackson.
In the reference he gives, he says that a couple of authors have spent their lives about this subject, but I was unable to find their book.

Do you know a rigorous and thorough exposition of this matter? I am not looking for a vague "diagrammatic" persuasion, but something closer to the state of the art on this subject.
 
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  • #2
coquelicot said:
TL;DR Summary: I'm seeking a thorough exposition of the definition of the macroscopic EM field

Of the classical books about EM, I found that Jackson's is the only one that touches with some rigour the subject of deriving the macroscopic field from the microscopic one.
Unfortunately, I am quite disappointed by the derivation of Jackson.
In the reference he gives, he says that a couple of authors have spent their lives about this subject, but I was unable to find their book.

Do you know a rigorous and thorough exposition of this matter? I am not looking for a vague "diagrammatic" persuasion, but something closer to the state of the art on this subject.
Maybe this, but it's in German:
https://static.uni-graz.at/fileadmi.../mitter_heinrich/Dokumente/Elektrodynamik.pdf

From p. 126 and 163
 
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  • #3
Yes, German is a problem for me, but I had a look at the formulae; that seems rather descriptive. I am in doubt this is a thorough exposition of the matter.
 
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  • #4
These might be of interest
Macroscopic Electromagnetism by Robinson
Electrodynamics of Continuous Media by Landau
A Development of the Equations of Electromagnetism in Material Continua by Tiersten
Electrodynamics of Continua by Eringen and Maugin
Electrodynamics of Moving Media by Penfield and Haus
The Maxwell Equations by de Groot
 
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  • #5
All of these deal about the topic? or are they just books on EM?
 
  • #6
None of these are “standard” EM books. They are all focused on continuous media.
I would guess that de Groot and Robinson would be of most interest to you. I believe that there are additional de Groot references that I do not have handy.
 
  • #7
OK thx. I've already read Landau, and no, it does not contain the deal.
 
  • #8
I would check out Ch. 3 of Wald's book on electromagnetism. He gives a very nice derivation.
 
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  • #9
Here's the preface from de Groot
Screenshot 2023-03-12 at 11.42.12 AM.png
 
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  • #10
Here's the preface from Robinson
Screenshot 2023-03-12 at 11.43.46 AM.pngScreenshot 2023-03-12 at 11.44.02 AM.pngScreenshot 2023-03-12 at 11.44.21 AM.pngScreenshot 2023-03-12 at 11.44.37 AM.png
 
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  • #11
Nice ! Robinson seems to be my man, as he writes exactly what I thought in his preface. Groot may be in contradiction with Robinson, that is, he may derive things in the classical erroneous way. But I don't know I have to read to have an opinion.
 
  • #12
De Groot book seems difficult to obtain, do you have a link? :-)
 
  • #13
Sorry. That was a scan from my hard copy.
 

FAQ: Macroscopic field - seeking a thorough exposition

What is a macroscopic field in physics?

A macroscopic field in physics refers to a field that can be observed and measured at scales large enough to be seen with the naked eye or with standard laboratory instruments. These fields describe the collective behavior of a system, such as electromagnetic, gravitational, or fluid fields, as opposed to microscopic fields that deal with atomic or subatomic scales.

How are macroscopic fields different from microscopic fields?

Macroscopic fields describe phenomena at scales large enough to be observed directly, dealing with the collective properties of large numbers of particles or large systems. In contrast, microscopic fields focus on the behavior and interactions of individual particles or small groups of particles, often requiring quantum mechanics for accurate descriptions. The transition from microscopic to macroscopic fields typically involves averaging or statistical methods to derive macroscopic properties from microscopic laws.

What are some examples of macroscopic fields?

Examples of macroscopic fields include the electromagnetic field, which describes the distribution of electric and magnetic forces in space; the gravitational field, which describes the gravitational forces exerted by masses; and fluid velocity fields, which describe the flow velocity of fluids in different regions. Other examples include thermal fields (temperature distribution) and stress fields in materials.

How are macroscopic fields mathematically represented?

Macroscopic fields are typically represented using vector and scalar fields in mathematics. For example, the electromagnetic field can be described using the electric field vector (E) and the magnetic field vector (B). These fields are often governed by partial differential equations, such as Maxwell's equations for electromagnetism or the Navier-Stokes equations for fluid dynamics, which describe how the fields evolve over space and time.

What are the applications of studying macroscopic fields?

Studying macroscopic fields has numerous applications across various scientific and engineering disciplines. In physics, it helps in understanding fundamental forces and interactions. In engineering, it is crucial for designing electrical circuits, predicting fluid flow in pipelines, and analyzing structural integrity under stress. In meteorology, it aids in weather prediction through the study of atmospheric pressure and temperature fields. Additionally, macroscopic field theories are essential in medical imaging, telecommunications, and many other fields.

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