Task 1 - Electromagnetic waves in open media

Individual work

Carlos Alberto Ramírez Restrepo

Group 13

15372571

UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL ABIERTA Y A DISTANCIA UNAD

Escuela de Ciencias Básicas, Tecnología e Ingeniería

Teoría Electromagnética y Ondas
2023 16-01
 Exercises development

Activity

Answers: (write with your own words)

1. In the context of electromagnetic waves, what is an open propagation
medium?
It is a space where the waves can reach their maximum frequencies,
without obstruction in the displacement of this. In this way, they are essential
to send and receive information, depending on the medium of propagation this
process can be less or more effective (Vásquez Lucrecia, s.f).
2. Within the propagation mediums, what is the meaning of the “loss
tangent”?
It is the relationship between the conduction current and the
displacement current in a specific medium, which depends on the parameters
of the medium and the frequency of the applied signal (repository, s.f).
3. How can we classify a medium according to the value of its "loss
tangent"?
the greater the loss angle, the greater the conduction current component
will be compared to the bias or displacement current, that is, the more
conductive the medium is
the greater the loss angle, the greater the conduction current component will
be compared to the bias or displacement current, that is, the more conductive
the medium is (repository, s.f).

This observation makes it possible to establish a basic classification for

media based on the loss tangent as follows (repository, s.f).

• Perfect dielectrics: they do not present conduction current; therefore,

they do not have losses due to the Joule effect. tan(𝛿 ) = 0, 𝛿 = 0 (repository,
s.f).
• Perfect conductors: they do not present polarization current; therefore,
𝜋
they do not have capacitive effects or charge accumulation. tan(𝛿 ) → ∞, 𝛿 = 2
(repository, s.f).
• Good insulators: they present conduction current and have losses due
to the Joule effect, but this effect is almost negligible compared to the
capacitive effect, they are also called "low-loss dielectrics". tan(𝛿 ) → 0+ , 𝛿 → 0 +
(repository, s.f).
 • Good conductors: they present polarization current; therefore, they
have capacitive or charge accumulation effects, but the conduction current and
𝜋
the losses due to the Joule effect are much more significant. tan(𝛿 ) → ∞, 𝛿 = 2
(repository, s.f).

• Dissipative dielectrics: they present both effects and neither is

𝜋
negligible compared to the other. 0 < 𝛿 < 2 (repository, s.f).

The reference values for the previously treated cases are:

Good conductor: tan(𝛿 ) ≥ 10, 𝛿 ≥ 84𝑜 (repository, s.f)
good insulator: tan(𝛿 ) < 0.01, 𝛿 ≥ 0.6𝑜 (repository, s.f)
dissipative dielectrics: 0.01 < tan(𝛿 ) < 10, 0.6𝑜 < 𝛿 < 84𝑜 (repository, s.f)

4. What is "penetration depth" of an electromagnetic wave?

It is the exponential decrease of the electric field when it enters a medium
with losses. The attenuation constant gives a measure of the rate of decay of
the signal amplitude.
|𝐸| = 𝐸𝑥0 𝑒 −𝛼𝑥
𝑑𝐸
= −𝛼𝐸𝑥0 𝑒 −𝛼𝑥
𝑑𝑥
Since the signal decays exponentially, a limit must be expected to exist
at which the signal is practically imperceptible, and this limit must be directly
related to the damping constant.

When the distance traveled within the medium is equivalent to the inverse
of the attenuation constant, the amplitude of the electric field is equivalent to:
𝛼𝑥1
|𝐸| = 𝐸𝑥0 𝑒 −𝛼

|𝐸| = 𝐸𝑥0 𝑒 −1
|𝐸| = 0.367𝐸𝑥0

It decays to 36.7% of the value of the original field. At this point it is

considered that the signal is too attenuated, being practically imperceptible.
 For this reason, the inverse of the attenuation constant is called the depth
of penetration of the wave 𝛿𝑝 . Since the power of a signal is proportional to the
square of its amplitude, when the signal decays to 36% of its value, its power
decays to 13%.

1
𝛿𝑝 =
|𝛼 |

Application exercise:
The following 4-step exercise describes the method to characterize an
electromagnetic wave when propagating in an open environment, for which,
each student must choose 1 propagation media of the proposed in Table 1 and
announce it within the Task 1 forum to avoid repetition.

Table 1: Conductivity 𝛔 and electrical permittivity 𝛆𝐫 of some media.

Media 𝛔 [𝐒⁄𝐦 ] 𝛆𝐫 [ ]
1. Copper 5.80𝑥107 1

2. Sea water 4 80
3. Air 5.5𝑥10−15 1.0005

4. Vegetable soil 1.00𝑥10−2 14

5. Dry soil 1.00𝑥10−4 3

6. Sweet water 1.00𝑥10−3 80

7. Vacuum 0 1
𝜀 = εr ε𝑜 ; εo = 8.8542x10−12 𝐶 2 /N𝑚2
Step 1: Calculate the tangent of losses Tan (δ) and the angle of losses δ of the
medium chosen in Table 1, if through it travel an electromagnetic wave E of
frequency 𝑓 = (𝐶𝐶𝐶 + 20) 𝑀𝐻𝑧. Note that 𝐶𝐶𝐶 are the last 3 digits of your
identification number.
𝜎 𝜎
𝑇𝑎𝑛 (𝛿) =
=
𝜔𝜀 2𝜋𝑓εr ε𝑜
The frequency of the wave is.

𝑓 = (571 + 20)𝑀𝐻𝑧
𝑓 = 591 𝑀𝐻𝑧
 The loss tangent is.

𝜎
tan(𝛿) =
2𝜋𝑓εr ε𝑜
𝑆
4
tan(𝛿) = 𝑚
2𝜋𝑓εr ε𝑜
𝑆
4
tan (𝛿) = 𝑚
2𝜋(591 𝑀𝐻𝑧)(80)(8.8542x10−12 𝐹/m)

tan(𝛿) = 1.520

𝛿 = 56.671°
Attention, for the calculations:
1. Replace your values (with units) in the equation editor.
2. Perform the operation on a virtual scientific calculator. *
3. Paste the calculator image into the report.
4. Write the answer with your units.
If the image is not included, the exercise rating is 0 points.
* You can use https://www.geogebra.org/scientific

Presentation example:
Equation editor (values and units)
𝜎 4 𝑆/𝑚
𝑇𝑎𝑛 (𝛿) = = = 1.30633
2𝜋𝑓εr ε𝑜 2𝜋 ∗ 688𝑥106 𝐻𝑧 ∗ 80 ∗ 8.8542x10−12𝐶 2 /N𝑚2
Calculator evidence

Figure 1: operation 1 on a virtual scientific calculator.

Step 2: According to the result obtained in point 1, classify the behavior of the
chosen medium according to one of the 5 options in Table 2:

Table 2: Classification of propagation media.

Media Tan(δ) δ [°]

1. Perfect dielectrics (Not dissipative) Tan(δ) = 0 δ = 0°

2. Good insulators (Lost low dielectric) 0 < Tan(δ) <= 0,1 0° < δ <= 6°
3. Dissipative dielectrics (Dielectrics with losses) 0,1 < Tan(δ) <= 10 6° < δ <= 84°

4. Good conductors (Good conductors) Tan(δ) > 10 84°< δ < 90°

5. Perfect conductors (Perfect conductors) Tan(δ) >>> 10 δ = 90°

 Según el resultado obtenido, el medio de propagación es dieléctrico
disipativo puesto que 0.01 < tan(𝛿 ) < 10

Step 3: According to the classification obtained in step 2 and using Table 3

shown below, calculate the following propagation parameters of the wave in the
chosen medium:
a. Propagation constant  (gamma).
b. Attenuation constant  (Alpha).
c. Phase constant  (Beta).

Not Lost low Dielectrics with Good

Parameter
dissipative dielectric losses conductors
𝜸 𝑗𝜔 √𝜇𝜀 𝑗𝜔 √𝜇𝜀 √𝒋𝝎𝝁(𝝈 + 𝒋𝝎𝜺) √𝑗𝜔 𝜎𝜇 𝑜

𝜶 0 𝜎𝜂 ⁄2 𝑹𝒆() √𝜋𝑓𝜎𝜇𝑜

𝜷 𝜔√𝜇𝜀 𝜔 √𝜇𝜀 𝑰𝒎() √𝜋𝑓𝜎𝜇𝑜

𝜼 √ 𝜇 ⁄𝜀 √𝜇 ⁄𝜀 √𝒋𝝎𝝁 ⁄ (𝝈 + 𝒋𝝎𝜺) √𝑗𝜔 𝜇 𝑜⁄𝜎

Table 3: Propagation parameters in open media.

𝜇 = 𝜇𝑟 𝜇𝑜 ; 𝜇𝑟 = 1 (𝑛𝑜𝑛 − 𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑛𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑐 𝑚𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑎 ) ; 𝜇𝑜 = 1.2566x10−6 T m/A

Note that 𝜔 = 2𝜋𝑓, 𝜇 = μr μ𝑜 and 𝜀 = εr ε𝑜

Example:
𝜸=
𝜶=
𝜷=
 Figure 2: operation 2 on a virtual scientific calculator.
Attention, for the calculations:
1. Replace your values (with units) in the equation.
2. Perform the operation on a virtual scientific calculator. *
3. Paste the calculator image into the report.
4. Write the answer with your units.
If the image is not included, the exercise rating is 0 points.
* You can use https://www.geogebra.org/scientific

𝛾 = √𝑖2𝜋𝑓𝜇 (𝜎 + 𝑖2𝜋𝑓𝜀 )

𝛾 = √𝑖2𝜋(591 ∗ 106 𝐻𝑧)(1.2566 ∗ 10−6 𝒎/𝑨)[4 + 𝑖2𝜋(591 ∗ 106 )(80)(8.8542 ∗ 10−12 )]

𝛾 = 70.94 + 131.55𝑖
𝛼 = 𝑅𝑒(𝛾 )
 𝑁𝑝
𝛼 = 70.940
𝑚
𝛽 = 𝐼𝑚(𝛾 )
𝑟𝑎𝑑
𝛽 = 131.552𝑖
𝑚
Luego

𝜼 = √ 𝒋𝝎𝝁 ⁄(𝝈 + 𝒋𝝎𝜺)

Reemplazando

𝑺
𝜼 = √𝒋(𝟐𝝅)(𝟓𝟗𝟏 ∗ 𝟏𝟎𝟔 𝑯𝒛)(𝟏.𝟐𝟓𝟔𝟔𝒙𝟏𝟎−𝟔 𝑻 𝒎/𝑨)⁄[𝟒 + 𝒋(𝟐𝝅)(𝟓𝟗𝟏 ∗ 𝟏𝟎𝟔 𝑯𝒛)(𝟖𝟎)(𝟖.𝟖𝟓𝟒𝟐 ∗ 𝟏𝟎−𝟏𝟐 )]
𝒎

𝜼 = 𝟐𝟕. 𝟒𝟕𝟗𝟑 + 𝟏𝟒. 𝟖𝟏𝟖𝟑𝒋 𝑶𝒉𝒎

Step 4: According to the results obtained in step 3 and using the following
equations, calculate the propagation characteristics of the wave in the chosen
medium:
d. Propagation speed 𝒗𝒑 .
𝜔
𝑣𝑝 =
𝛽
2𝜋𝑓
𝑣𝑝 =
𝛽
2𝜋(591 ∗ 106 𝐻𝑧)
𝑣𝑝 =
131.552
 𝑚
𝑣𝑝 = 28′227336.084
𝑠

e. Wavelength 𝝀.

2𝜋
𝜆=
𝛽
2𝜋
𝜆=
131.552

𝜆 = 0.047 𝑚
 f. The penetration depth of the 𝜹𝒑 wave in the medium.

1
𝛿𝑝 =
|𝛼 |
1
𝛿𝑝 =
|70.940|

𝛿𝑝 = 0.014 𝑚

Perform the operation on a virtual scientific calculator, paste the image of the
operation on the report, then write the result including the units.
𝑽𝒑 =

𝝀=

…
 Figure 3: operation 3 on a virtual scientific calculator.

Interpretation
Interpretation: According to the concepts explored, explain in your own words
the meaning and the result obtained for: 𝑇𝑎𝑛(𝛿 ), 𝑉𝑝 , 𝜆 and 𝛿𝑝 .

Example:

𝑻𝒂𝒏 (𝜹). It is the measure of the amount of energy that is lost in the
material when an electromagnetic wave is applied, that is, how
permissive is the medium for the propagation of waves.

𝑽𝒑. It is the path or advance developed by an electromagnetic wave

per unit of time. That is, how many meters does the wave advance
per second?

𝝀. Means How far apart are the peaks of the wave?

𝜹𝒑 . It means how much the electromagnetic wave prospers when it

penetrates a medium
 Video link

URL:

https://www.loom.com/share/54364a09a9634ee88a47d786f115caae

References

Referencias
repository. (s.f de s.f de s.f). repository. Obtenido de Electrodinámica y ondas:
https://repository.unad.edu.co/bitstream/handle/10596/6555/203058-?sequence=3

Vásquez Lucrecia, W. (s.f de s.f de s.f). pdfcoffe. Obtenido de Ondas: https://pdfcoffee.com/ondas-47-pdf-

free.html