Abstract

This paper develops an original approach to fundamental problems of classical linear acoustics and electromagnetics, proving a crucial role of doubly-dynamic local properties of a propagation medium in supporting wave-like fields able to carry information signals. The proof is composed of two steps concerning, subsequently, fluid acoustics and dielectric electromagnetics. The first step consists in complementing a common, practically exclusive view of acoustic disturbances as related to elastic compression and decompression of contiguous fluid particles accompanied by their motion, with a physically dual view of disturbances with reversed roles of motion and compression, both views being equally entitled. The approach exhibits an undeniable role of any and all elemental areae of propagation medium in containing temporarily energy, transferring power and momentum, and keeping a time history of a disturbance, the latter feature meaning the commonly-known ability of a fluid medium to carry signals with a mechanical parameters-dependent celerity. The second step consists in applying the same methodology to dielectric continuum assumed to be amorphous physical space endowed with two-fold properties of electric and magnetic polarisability. The phenomenological and analytical results related to both the physical supports of electromagnetic and acoustic wavefields being much similar, they contradict, in the author’s opinion, a presumed non-existence of classical aether.

Author (1)