A new perspective of the Abraham-Minkowski controversy

作者：Jimenez J L^*; Campos I; Lopez Marino M A

来源：European Physical Journal Plus, 2011, 126(5): 50.

DOI：10.1140/epjp/i2011-11050-8

In the present work we analyze the old controversy of Abraham and Minkowski from the microscopic point of view, and from the perspective of a momentum balance equation. Thus we complete the line of research on this subject initiated by Lai et al. (H.M. Lai, W.M. Suen, K. Young, Phys. Rev. A 25, 1755 (1982)). We find that a new term, -1/c partial derivative m/partial derivative t x E, justified with several arguments, some of which founded in relativity theory, gives a more coherent view of the controversy. As a test for this approach, we show that the Helmholtz force density may be obtained from a momentum balance equation derived directly from Maxwell's equations under certain approximations; we find with this analysis that rather than resolve the controversy, we can dissolve it. That is, we have rather a problem of physical interpretation, since we show that other momentum balance equations are also all legitimate implications of Maxwell's equations.

• 出版日期2011-5