Static magnetic field from time-varying electric field

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Discussion Overview

This thread discusses the relationship between time-varying electric fields and the generation of magnetic fields, particularly focusing on whether a time-varying electric field can produce a static magnetic field. The conversation involves theoretical considerations rooted in Maxwell's equations and explores various examples and conditions under which these phenomena occur.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • One participant asserts that a time-varying electric field does not necessarily lead to a time-varying magnetic field, suggesting that a magnetostatic field can exist instead.
  • Another participant points out that the curl of the electric field being zero does not imply that the electric field itself is zero.
  • Examples of electric fields, such as ##E=(kt,0,0)## and ##\mathbf{E} = A_0t\hat{x}##, are proposed to illustrate conditions under which a static magnetic field can be induced.
  • There is a discussion about the necessary and sufficient conditions for having a static magnetic field with a time-varying electric field, including the implications of a linear time-dependency of the electric field components.
  • A participant raises the point that sinusoidal time-varying electric fields typically produce sinusoidal time-varying magnetic fields, questioning if there are exceptions to this behavior.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the relationship between time-varying electric and magnetic fields, with no consensus reached on whether a static magnetic field can arise from a time-varying electric field under certain conditions.

Contextual Notes

The discussion involves complex interactions defined by Maxwell's equations, with participants exploring specific cases and examples. There are unresolved mathematical steps and assumptions regarding the nature of the fields and their dependencies.

EmilyRuck
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Hello!
In this thread, in this answer, my statement "A time-varying electric field creates a magnetic field which is time-varying itself" was refuted.

ZapperZ said:
Actually, this is not correct.

From Ampere's law, the curl of B is proportional to the time rate of change of E (and current density if there's one). But this curl of B need not have a time varying solution as well. It can easily be a magnetostatic field.

Zz.

Because I never observed this before, I would like to discuss about it. As far as I know, Maxwell's equations are valid always together, that is contemporary. Suppose that impressed currents are 0 and that we are in a linear, homogeneous medium. So, yes, Ampère's law does not cause a variation for the magnetic field

\nabla \times \mathbf{H} = \epsilon \displaystyle \frac{\partial \mathbf{E}}{\partial t}

but the co-existence of this equation with

\nabla \times \mathbf{E} = - \mu \displaystyle \frac{\partial \mathbf{H}}{\partial t}

implies that, when one field (the electric one or the magnetic one) varies with time, it will create the other, varying with time too.
If it is incorrect, could you give me a more clear explanation? And could you give an example of a time-varying electric field which creates a static magnetic field?
Thank you anyway,

Emily
 
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##
\nabla \times \mathbf{E} = 0## does not always imply that ##\mathbf{E}=0##.
 
Consider the field induced from ##E=(kt,0,0)##
 
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Consider ##\mathbf{E} = A_0t\hat{x}## and ##\mathbf{H} = \epsilon A_0 (z\hat{y} + 2y\hat{z})##, it should satisfy the two Maxwell equations with the curl.
 
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Thank you both. Your examples provide a static magnetic field.
The requirements seem to be (observing \nabla \times \mathbf{H} = \epsilon \partial \mathbf{E} / \partial t):
- a constant \partial \mathbf{E} / \partial t and so a linear time-dependency for the \mathbf{E} components.
But this will imply (observing \nabla \times \mathbf{E} = - \mu \partial \mathbf{H} / \partial t = 0):
- a field \mathbf{E} which is still conservative.
Are these necessary and sufficient conditions for having a static magnetic field with a time-varying electric field?

Another important case is the sinusoidal one. But I think the above requirements could never be satisfied with that time-variation. At least in this case, a (sinusoidal) time-varying electric-field always produces a (sinusoidal) time-varying magnetic field and vice-versa.
Is it right or are there some other exceptions?
 

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