Measurement of propagation velocity of bound electromagnetic fields in near zone

Abstract

We start with the general approach based on conventional solutions to Maxwell's equations and show that in the near zone of macroscopic electromagnetic sources the electromotive force produced in receiving loop antenna is intimately linked to the fundamental structure as well as to causal properties of the classical electromagnetic field as a superposition of bound and radiation components. As a consequence, we propose and implement a direct experimental procedure for the correct identification of retarded positions of bound field contributions on the oscilloscope time scale as a function of a distance from the emitting loop antenna. It provides unambiguous empirical information on causal characteristics of bound electromagnetic fields. According to the observation of no retardation inside the near zone of the emitting loop antenna, the experimental evidence for nonlocal properties of bound electromagnetic fields is reported.