[Physics] time dependent current/ magnetic field

classical-electrodynamicselectric-currentelectromagnetismmagnetic fields

Is there a general way to calculate the magnetic field for a time dependent current of a long thing wire?

For ex:

If the current is

$$
I(t)=I\sin wt,
$$
is there a general method to use in order to calculate the magnetic field?

I know for time-independent currents we can use
$$
\int \vec B\cdot d\vec l=\mu_0 I_{enc}
$$
if the symmetry of the system is nice, or we can use Biot-Savart Law for other cases.
Thanks…

Best Answer

When the current is time dependent, the time retarded current has to be put into the Biot-Savart integral. If the current is in along straight wire so that you can use cylindrical symmetry, then you can use Ampere's law which does not need the retarded time. Then B=I muo/2pi r For any time dependence in I. In any other case, the Biot-Savart law with the retarded time is very complicated. If the time dependence has a single frequency, as in your case, you can treat the Fourier transform of I (t), but this also is a bit complicated. It is done in advanced EM textbooks.