PROPAGATION OF AN ELECTRIC PULSE THROUGH A HOMOGENEOUS AND ISOTROPIC MEDIUM

The paper discusses the propagation of a step‐function pulse in a medium characterized by the three electric constants, permittivity e, permeability μ and conductivity σ. The effect of the displacement current on the propagation is fully taken into account. Expressions of electric and magnetic fields are determined. It is shown that the time of travel of the pulse and the initial and final values of any one of the non‐vanishing field components (all of which can be measured) fully specify the values of conductivity and permittivity of the medium.