[Physics] Advanced Heaviside-Feynman formula implies electromagnetic inertia

cosmologyelectromagnetismgeneral-relativitylienard-wiechertmaxwell-equations

The Heaviside-Feynman formula (see Feynman Lectures vol I Ch.28, vol II Ch. 21) gives the electric and magnetic fields measured at an observation point $P$ due to an arbitrarily moving charge $q$

$$ \mathbf{E} = -\frac{q}{4 \pi \epsilon_0} \left\{ \left[ \frac{\mathbf{\hat r}}{r^2} \right]_{ret} + \frac{[r]_{ret}}{c} \frac{\partial}{\partial t} \left[ \frac{\mathbf{\hat r}}{r^2} \right]_{ret} + \frac{1}{c^2} \frac{\partial^2}{\partial t^2} [\mathbf{\hat r}]_{ret} \right\} $$
$$ \mathbf{B} = -\frac{1}{c} [\mathbf{\hat r}]_{ret} \times \mathbf{E} $$

where $[\mathbf{\hat r}]_{ret}$ and $[r]_{ret}$ is the unit vector and distance from the observation point $P$ at time $t$ to the retarded position of charge $q$ at time $t – [r]_{ret}/c$ (hence the minus signs).

This formula is remarkable in that it is completely relational. It does not refer to any external reference frame. The fields at point $P$ only depend on the vector $\mathbf{r}$ from point $P$ to the retarded position of charge $q$ and its first and second order rates of change with respect to local time $t$.

Now one can imagine two ways in which the vector $\mathbf{r}$ from point $P$ to charge $q$ can change. One could move charge $q$ and keep point $P$ fixed or one could move point $P$ and keep charge $q$ fixed. The above formula is valid for the former situation giving the fields at a fixed point $P$ due to a moving charge $q$. This is the conventional retarded solution of Maxwell's equations.

But what about the latter situation in which the observation point $P$ moves and the charge $q$ is fixed. The relational nature of the formula implies to me that it should still apply in this situation. Perhaps this is the situation in which the advanced Heaviside-Feynman formula is valid given by

$$ \mathbf{E} = -\frac{q}{4 \pi \epsilon_0} \left\{ \left[ \frac{\mathbf{\hat r}}{r^2} \right]_{adv} – \frac{[r]_{adv}}{c} \frac{\partial}{\partial t} \left[ \frac{\mathbf{\hat r}}{r^2} \right]_{adv} + \frac{1}{c^2} \frac{\partial^2}{\partial t^2} [\mathbf{\hat r}]_{adv} \right\} $$
$$ \mathbf{B} = -\frac{1}{c} [\mathbf{\hat r}]_{adv} \times \mathbf{E} $$

where $[\mathbf{\hat r}]_{adv}$ and $[r]_{adv}$ is the unit vector and distance from the observation point $P$ at time $t$ to the advanced position of charge $q$ at time $t + [r]_{adv}/c$. The advanced Heaviside-Feynman formula is the time-reverse of the conventional retarded formula.

This interpretation of the advanced formula, if valid, implies that an accelerated observer inside a fixed charged insulating spherical shell would measure an electric field whose strength is proportional to the acceleration. This implies that an accelerated charge feels a kind of electromagnetic inertial force and thus has an electromagnetic inertia due to the presence of the charged spherical shell.

For example imagine an electron with charge $-e$ inside such a fixed charged insulating spherical shell at potential $+V$ volts. Using the above advanced Heaviside-Feynman formula one can calculate that this electromagnetic inertia $m_{em}$ is given by
$$m_{em} = \frac{2}{3} \frac{eV}{c^2}$$
For a shell charged to a high voltage $V=1000000$ volts this electromagnetic inertia would be of similar order to the electron's native mass and should therefore be easily observable. It would probably be important that the spherical shell is a charged insulator rather than a conductor because it is assumed that the charges inside the shell remain fixed.

Finally, there is a close analogy between Maxwell's equations and Einstein's field equations in the limit of weak gravitational fields. There is a clear gravitational analogue of the advanced Heaviside-Feynman formula. Thus one would expect that a mass accelerated inside a fixed spherical shell of mass should experience a gravitational inertial force in a manner analogous to the above electrical example (just substitute mass $m$, gravitational potential $\phi$ for charge $e$, electrical potential $V$ in above expression).

Perhaps this is the origin of inertia as hypothesised in Mach's Principle?

Best Answer

You can only calculate electric fields or magnetic fields after fixing a reference frame, so no, you can't move P around in that formula. It is assumed in that formula that you are working in a specific frame. The formula is invariant with respect to translating both $\mathbf{r}$ and $P$ by the same displacement, but not with respect to boosting them by the same velocity. If you boost them, the fields transform. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_electromagnetism_and_special_relativity

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