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Tuesday 12 January 2016

Monopoles -1 - Introduction

I just want to start from the basics where the idea of mono poles come into play in Classical Electrodynamics. We can straightly start from Maxwell's equations given by, $$ \nabla\cdot \vec{E} = \frac{\rho_e}{\epsilon_0} \\ \nabla\cdot\vec{B} = 0 \\ \nabla\times \vec{E} = \frac{-\partial{\vec{B}}}{\partial{t}} \\ \nabla \times \vec{B} = \mu_0\vec{J_e}+\mu_0\epsilon_0\frac{\partial{\vec{E}}}{\partial{t}} $$ with conventional notation of charge and current density. 
These equations will transform into a symmetrical set of equations in vacuum where there is no charge or current as, $$ \nabla\cdot\vec{E} = 0 \\ \nabla\cdot\vec{B} = 0 \\ \nabla\times \vec{E} = \frac{-\partial{\vec{B}}}{\partial{t}} \\ \nabla \times \vec{B} = \mu_e\epsilon_0 \frac{\partial{\vec{E}}}{\partial{t}} $$
We don't need to put much attention towards the constant factors that shows on the front. But, these are just a matter of unit system. If you take Gaussian system, all these complexities will disappear where E and B will be measured in same units. 

From this symmetry, it will arise a question whether we can prevail this symmetry even when charges and currents are present. 

In a pure mathematical perspective, Maxwell's equations are symmetrical when it is introduced magnetic charges and currents. The new Maxwell's equations are given by, 
$$\nabla\cdot \vec{E} = \frac{\rho_e}{\epsilon_0} \\ \nabla\cdot\vec{B} = \mu_0\rho_m \\ \nabla\times \vec{E} = -\mu_0\vec{J_m}- \frac{\partial{\vec{B}}}{\partial{t}} \\ \nabla \times \vec{B} = \mu_0\vec{J_e}+\mu_0\epsilon_0\frac{\partial{\vec{E}}}{\partial{t}}$$

From this symmetry, mathematically we can never differentiate Electric fields from Magnetic fields. 
The equations are invariant when you make a transformation such that $$ \vec{E} \rightarrow \vec{B} \\ \vec{B} \rightarrow -\mu_0\epsilon_0\vec{E} $$

It shows that, if there is an alternate universe where the Electric and Magnetic fields are related to the Electric and Magnetic fields in our universe in such a way as above transformation relation then both observers will explain the same result of Physics from their Maxwell's equations. 

From this fact, it can be deduced that the laws of Nature (from Maxwell's equations) does allow any stable particle with pure magnetic charge or the particle with both Electric and Magnetic charge. It will not affect our Mathematical formalism in anyway.

For the first time, I believed in its existence, but when I did learn this next line - I really got confused. 

It was mentioned that, from Duality transformation between Electric and Magnetic fields, we can never say whether an electron has electric charge or magnetic charge or both. It is just a convention, not a condition that electron should have electric charge. 

So, which transformation I should use? 
What should I choose - whether electric or magnetic or both for electrons? (to make the Maxwell's equations look more symmetric). 
Why should I expect and search specifically for magnetic mono poles with pure magnetic charge? How do I confirm?


To answer these, probably I should do elaborately on the scale transformation with the analogue of coordinate transformation rules. 

For any future reference, in a way to make the equations in much simpler form, we will use Gaussian system of Units instead of SI units. 


$$\nabla\cdot \vec{E} = 4\pi{\rho_e} \\ \nabla\cdot\vec{B} = 4\pi\rho_m \\ \nabla\times \vec{E} = -\frac{4\pi}{c}\vec{J_m}- \frac{1}{c}\frac{\partial{\vec{B}}}{\partial{t}} \\ \nabla \times \vec{B} = \frac{4\pi}{c}\vec{J_e}+\frac{1}{c}\frac{\partial{\vec{E}}}{\partial{t}}$$

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