Open AccessVelocity of propagation of light in vacuo in a transverse magnetic field
Author(s) -
Clinton Coleridge Farr,
C. J. Banwell
Publication year - 1932
Publication title -
proceedings of the royal society of london. series a, containing papers of a mathematical and physical character
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2053-9150
pISSN - 0950-1207
DOI - 10.1098/rspa.1932.0135
Subject(s) - magnetic field , optics , transverse plane , interference (communication) , physics , lens (geology) , sensitivity (control systems) , field (mathematics) , microscope , computer science , engineering , telecommunications , mathematics , quantum mechanics , channel (broadcasting) , structural engineering , pure mathematics , electronic engineering
This investigation was undertaken to find, within the limits of sensitivity of the apparatus used, the effect of a transverse magnetic field on the velocity of propagation of lightin vacuo . An interference method was used, one of the two rays from the first mirror of a Jamin refractometer being passed through a strong magnetic field, while the other ray passed through a weaker field. The two rays were recombined at the second mirror, and the resulting interference bands viewed with a microscope lens combination. Any relative change in the velocities of the two rays would be observed as a movement of the bands. As far as the limited facilities of this part of the world have enabled the authors to ascertain there has not been a very great deal of experimental work done on this aspect of the relations between optical and magnetic phenomena.