origin:
I said I would look for a topic to have your opinion. What do you think on Section 7.1 where I state:
"The deduction of the existence of "electromagnetic waves" from Maxwell Equations is wrong because of a missing step.
Once the planar waves are deduced as possible solutions to the set of four equations from Maxwell Equations it is absolutely necessary to ask: Which source for the electric and magnetic fields can generate those possible fields? If not, if no source is related to the fields, we will be leaved to admit that infinite waves exist in the space of all frequencies, intensities and in any direction.
The solution for the electric and magnetic fields is an infinite plane with the same (constant) field, parallel to the plane, in the entire plane. Sources for them are just impossible. There's no source of field possible to generate that kind of fields. Even an infinite series of those solutions would have no possible source for their fields.
Then it can be stated that "electromagnetic waves" cannot exist."
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I would like to invite billvon and paddoboy too to share their opinion.
Anyone else is also welcome of course, particularly quantum_wave.
Thank you for encouraging member inputs.
We both have some pretty alternative ideas about electromagnetic waves. Apologetically, I'll comment about the model that I am working on, in order to give some context to my opinion about your view of EM.
In my model of cosmology of the universe, there is wave energy filling all space; light waves and gravitational waves, coming and going in all directions at all times, at the local speed of light. The density of those waves in the local space accounts for the local wave energy density, it varies directionally, and I refer to that as the energy density of space.
Electromagnetic waves don't have to self-propagate, because every medium, whether we a talking about the medium of space, or more dense mediums like air, water, glass, etc., have a specific level of oscillation based on the atomic composition of the medium, and the resulting wave energy density of that medium governs the rate of oscillation.
The oscillation of the local medium is encountered by wave energy, both light and gravity waves, as they pass through, and the oscillations assist the advance of the energy wave through what ever medium. The wave energy density of the medium governs the velocity of light through that medium, and the varying wave energy density of different mediums accounts for the change in light velocity, and therefore, the refraction of light as it passes for one medium to another.
The difference between your account of EMR, and mine, is that I accept the Maxwell equations at face value, out of respect for the history of science, and with the stipulation the they are generally accepted to have a fit with various theories, especially GR. In the case of GR, they are compatible because they are purported to be able to self propagate through a vacuum. However, there is nothing that says that they have to self propagate if there is some other means to account for their advance. That means of propagation, in my view, would be the oscillations that are natural to all environments that are composed of wave energy. Note that there is no vacuum in my model since all space is filled with wave energy.
Given the proposed wave energy background of space, and with reference to some old ideas like the Huygens principle, light doesn't have to self-propagate. That energy background might equate with the missing source of energy fields that you mention. That does not mean that light isn't electromagnetic waves though; I would have to say that they exist, but in my view they advance through space based on a different explanation than in the standard model.