Electrodynamics for Physicists: An Introduction, Emphasizing Special Relativity

The book starts with a vivid explanation of the mathematical prerequisites (in particular the operations gradient, divergence and curl). Next, are parts on Electrostatics and Magnetostatics where the handling of field equations is practiced in detail.The book then introduces Maxwell’s equations with emphasis on their relativistic structure. The relativistic form of these equations are then exploited for various applications, like waves and radiation phenomena.For the quasi-static approximation, it is shown that the neglect of the displacement current and the induction term are complementary to each other.The presentation of electrodynamics in matter follows the modern concept that an external perturbation leads to a response (induced field) of the system. The dielectric function (ratio between the induced and the external field) is thus a response function. The dielectric functions of various materials, such as water and metals, are discussed in detail.A final part discusses basic elements of optics, including Huygens’ principle, interference, diffraction, refraction and reflection.