Experimental Study on the Propagation of Electromagnetic Waves and the Spatial Distribution of Electric Potential

• Published in: Japanese Journal of Applied Physics Vol. 40; no. 8R; p. 5182
• Main Authors: Hideo Sato, Hideo Sato, Chihiro Yamanaka, Chihiro Yamanaka, Motoji Ikeya, Motoji Ikeya
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.08.2001
• ISSN: 0021-4922; 1347-4065
• DOI: 10.1143/JJAP.40.5182

A scaling model experiment on the propagation of electromagnetic (EM) waves, which satisfies the attenuation with distance, has been proposed theoretically and carried out experimentally. A model consisting of parallel plate waveguides representing the earth and ionosphere, ocean and conductive layer in the crust is constructed using a solution of NaCl as the model crust and aluminum foils as the ocean both with resistivities, ρ, which are 10 -6 times lower than those of the real ones. The frequency of the EM waves, f was 10 6 times higher than the real value so that the wavelength and the skin depth, d =√2 π f /ρ were scaled down to 10 -6 in concordance with the scaling factor. A method using the electrolytic tank was used to determine the distribution of DC potential. The profiles of the EM waves and the DC potential were influenced by the presence of the ocean and faults of the Tokai area, taken as an example. A scaling-up experiment was suggested for the mezoscopic and nanosized optical and EM devices.