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Conceptual Links Between the Ewald‐Oseen Extinction Theorem and Return Stroke Modeling.

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Title: Conceptual Links Between the Ewald‐Oseen Extinction Theorem and Return Stroke Modeling.
Authors: Cooray, Vernon1 (AUTHOR), Cooray, Gerald2 (AUTHOR), Rachidi, Farhad3 (AUTHOR) farhad.rachidi@epfl.ch, Rubinstein, Marcos4 (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Geophysical Research. Atmospheres. 10/28/2025, Vol. 130 Issue 20, p1-12. 12p.
Subject Terms: Electromagnetic waves, Dielectrics, Light propagation, Strip transmission lines, Maxwell equations, Superposition principle (Physics), Electromagnetism
People: Maxwell, James Clerk, 1831-1879
Abstract: Observations and theoretical principles indicate that electromagnetic waves, including light, propagate more slowly in dielectric media than in a vacuum. This behavior is elegantly described by Maxwell's equations, which account for material‐specific permittivity and permeability. According to the principle of superposition, the net electromagnetic wave within a dielectric medium results from the combination of the incident wave and secondary waves generated by the medium's interaction with the incident wave. Notably, both the incident wave and the secondary waves propagate at the speed of light in a vacuum. The Ewald‐Oseen extinction theorem explains that secondary waves, emitted by atoms in the dielectric medium, interfere with the incident wave in such a way that they cancel the original wave and produce a resultant wave propagating at a reduced speed determined by the dielectric constant of the medium. In this paper, we extend the application of the Ewald‐Oseen theorem to electromagnetic wave propagation in transmission lines and demonstrate that the principles used to model lightning return strokes align closely with those predicted by the theorem. Plain Language Summary: When electromagnetic waves, such as light travel through materials (dielectrics), they propagate more slowly than in a vacuum. According to Maxwell's equations, this reduced speed is determined by the material's electromagnetic properties. The Ewald‐Oseen extinction theorem offers a complementary perspective, attributing the slower propagation to the superposition of three waves each traveling at the speed of light in a vacuum. These include the incident wave and two secondary waves generated by the wave's interaction with the material. In this paper, we demonstrate that similar principles apply to electromagnetic wave behavior in transmission lines and lightning return stroke models. Key Points: Electromagnetic waves slow down in dielectrics due to interference explained by the Ewald‐Oseen extinction theoremThe Ewald‐Oseen theorem is applied to electromagnetic wave propagation in transmission linesPrinciples used to model lightning return strokes align closely with the Ewald‐Oseen theorem [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Abstract:Observations and theoretical principles indicate that electromagnetic waves, including light, propagate more slowly in dielectric media than in a vacuum. This behavior is elegantly described by Maxwell's equations, which account for material‐specific permittivity and permeability. According to the principle of superposition, the net electromagnetic wave within a dielectric medium results from the combination of the incident wave and secondary waves generated by the medium's interaction with the incident wave. Notably, both the incident wave and the secondary waves propagate at the speed of light in a vacuum. The Ewald‐Oseen extinction theorem explains that secondary waves, emitted by atoms in the dielectric medium, interfere with the incident wave in such a way that they cancel the original wave and produce a resultant wave propagating at a reduced speed determined by the dielectric constant of the medium. In this paper, we extend the application of the Ewald‐Oseen theorem to electromagnetic wave propagation in transmission lines and demonstrate that the principles used to model lightning return strokes align closely with those predicted by the theorem. Plain Language Summary: When electromagnetic waves, such as light travel through materials (dielectrics), they propagate more slowly than in a vacuum. According to Maxwell's equations, this reduced speed is determined by the material's electromagnetic properties. The Ewald‐Oseen extinction theorem offers a complementary perspective, attributing the slower propagation to the superposition of three waves each traveling at the speed of light in a vacuum. These include the incident wave and two secondary waves generated by the wave's interaction with the material. In this paper, we demonstrate that similar principles apply to electromagnetic wave behavior in transmission lines and lightning return stroke models. Key Points: Electromagnetic waves slow down in dielectrics due to interference explained by the Ewald‐Oseen extinction theoremThe Ewald‐Oseen theorem is applied to electromagnetic wave propagation in transmission linesPrinciples used to model lightning return strokes align closely with the Ewald‐Oseen theorem [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:2169897X
DOI:10.1029/2025JD044665