Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-symmetry-and-relativity-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2022/1/e/solution
Past exam of the symmetry and relativity course of the University of Oxford 2022 1 e Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-25
Let . The Lorenz gauge condition on the plane electromagnetic wave givesThe vacuum wave equation gives for a nonzero amplitude; equivalently and . Use the gauge transformation withBecause , this is a residual Lorenz gauge symmetry and . For a propagating plane electromagnetic wave, , so take . ThenThe second equality follows from . The electric field and magnetic field are unchanged by this gauge transformation. Thus Lorenz gauge permits a representative in radiation gauge; Lorenz gauge alone does not require the spatial amplitude of every representative to be transverse.
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