Scattering of a Surface Wave by a Discontinuity in the Surface Reactance on a Right Angled Wedge (Classic Reprint)

Explore how a surface wave behaves at a right-angled wedge with a surface impedance that can vary in strength.

This nonfiction study presents an exact solution for the electromagnetic field produced when a surface wave travels along the front face of a right-angled wedge and is scattered by the tip. The work uses an impedance boundary condition that can generate surface waves and derives the amplitude of the reflected wave, along with a simple formula for the radiated far field. It also discusses how the behavior changes in the limits of small and large reactance, offering practical insight into boundary effects on surface waves.

The analysis builds a mathematical framework that reduces Maxwell’s equations to a solvable form, then reconstructs the physical fields from an auxiliary function. The discussion contrasts the wedge with a plane surface, highlighting when energy stays bound to the surface versus when it radiates away as a far field. The results are organized to show exact relationships and limiting cases clearly.

• Grounded in an exact solution approach and boundary-condition techniques for wedge geometry.
• Details how the reflected surface wave changes with small versus large reactance.
• Provides formulas for the radiated far field and its dependence on wave parameters.
• Offers comparison to plane surfaces and interprets the open-end behavior as a wave-guide when reactance is large.

Ideal for readers of advanced electromagnetism, diffraction theory, and wave propagation who want a rigorous, application-focused treatment of surface waves on complex geometries.