Energy transport in linear dielectrics

Abstract

We examine the energy exchanged between an electromagnetic pulse and a linear dielectric medium in which it propagates. While group velocity indicates the presence of field energy (the locus of which can move with arbitrary speed), the velocity of energy transport maintains strict luminality. This indicates that the medium treats the leading and trailing portions of the pulse differently. The principle of causality requires the medium to respond to the instantaneous spectrum, the spectrum of the pulse truncated at each new instant as a given locale in the medium experiences the pulse.