Description of Pulse Dynamics in Lorentz Media in Terms of the Energy Velocity and Attenuation of Time-Harmonic Waves

Abstract

The first detailed physical explanation of the dynamics of short pulses in a dispersive system that has loss is presented. The result provides a simple algorithm for predicting pulse behavior without the need for asymptotic analysis. It was derived specifically for electromagnetic pulses in Lorentz media, making it applicable to low-energy pulses in resonant media, pulses in plasmas and dielectrics, remote ionospheric measurements, and many pulsed laser systems. It appears likely, however, that the result applies to even more general wave systems.