- #1
Gabriel Maia
- 72
- 1
Hi. I have an electric field E(r) which can be equivalently characterized by its Fourier spectrum [itex]\tilde{E}[/itex](k) through
E(r)[itex]\propto[/itex][itex]\int[/itex][itex]\tilde{E}[/itex](k)exp[ik[itex]\cdot[/itex]r]dk
The Maxwell equation states that in a homogeneous and isotropic medium
∇[itex]\cdot[/itex]E=0
So, applying this equation to my Fourier representation of the electric field I'm supposed to find
k[itex]\cdot[/itex][itex]\tilde{E}[/itex](k)=0
Now... doesn't [itex]\tilde{E}[/itex](k) have components in the k-space? I was under the impression its components were ([itex]\tilde{E}[/itex][itex]_{kx}[/itex],[itex]\tilde{E}[/itex][itex]_{ky}[/itex],[itex]\tilde{E}[/itex][itex]_{kz}[/itex])
So how come we can apply the divergence operator (in the coordinates space) on a function on the k-space?
Thank you
E(r)[itex]\propto[/itex][itex]\int[/itex][itex]\tilde{E}[/itex](k)exp[ik[itex]\cdot[/itex]r]dk
The Maxwell equation states that in a homogeneous and isotropic medium
∇[itex]\cdot[/itex]E=0
So, applying this equation to my Fourier representation of the electric field I'm supposed to find
k[itex]\cdot[/itex][itex]\tilde{E}[/itex](k)=0
Now... doesn't [itex]\tilde{E}[/itex](k) have components in the k-space? I was under the impression its components were ([itex]\tilde{E}[/itex][itex]_{kx}[/itex],[itex]\tilde{E}[/itex][itex]_{ky}[/itex],[itex]\tilde{E}[/itex][itex]_{kz}[/itex])
So how come we can apply the divergence operator (in the coordinates space) on a function on the k-space?
Thank you