Heaviside, while searching for the 'localisation' of electromagnetic energy, was the first to contrast the energy of a given electromagnetic system first in terms of its mutual energy, then in terms its energy localised in the charges and...
moreHeaviside, while searching for the 'localisation' of electromagnetic energy, was the first to contrast the energy of a given electromagnetic system first in terms of its mutual energy, then in terms its energy localised in the charges and finally the same energy localised in the field. By applying Heaviside's approach to dielectric systems, and then to diamagnetic systems, significant aspects of the system energy are brought to light. Also, controversies concerning the localisation of electromagnetic energy are brought into better focus. 1 Heaviside's examination of the 'localisation' of electromagnetic energy In 1883 Heaviside examined 'three distinct expressions for the potential energy of currents', the first in terms of the energy shared between the coils, the second in terms of the energy localised in the currents, and the third in terms of the energy localised in the field 1. He was the first to recognise interpretative 'triads' in explaining electromagnetic energy. In fact, Heaviside coined the term 'localisation' of electromagnetic energy. He was interested 'how the different expressions of the inductive energy locate the energy'. He expresses the mutual energy formula of Franz E Neumann (1798-1895) as T = CC coss r dsds ,
