Abstract
IF an electromagnetic wave spreads from a small source situated in free space, then it is known that the amplitude of the oscillatory magnetic intensity (H) at any point is inversely proportional to the distance (d) of the point from the source, provided that the distance is greater than about 1.5 wave-lengths. Under these conditions, therefore, the product Hd is independent of distance. If, however, the source is situated on the surface of a conducting dielectric, the electrical properties of which can be expressed in terms of a dielectric constant k, and a conductivity σ, then Sommerfeld (Ann. d. Physik, (4) 28, pp. 665–736; 1909) has shown, theoretically, that the product Hd is no longer constant, but varies with the distance in a manner depending on the constants k and σ.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
RATCLIFFE, J., SHAW, W. A Determination of the Dielectric Constant of the Ground. Nature 124, 617 (1929). https://doi.org/10.1038/124617a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/124617a0
This article is cited by
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.