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Stokes' Theory PDF
Stokes' Theory PDF
ON T H E A B E R R A T I O N OF L I G H T *
G.G. STOKES , ,
-y dt, y' =
\ dx) -
and eliminating x, y and z from these equations and (1), and de-
noting C by/(x, >•, /), we havefor the equation to the wave's front
at the time t + dt,
z'-(w-\-V)dt = C4-K/
or, expanding, neglecjtinjg dt- and the square of the aberration, and
suppressing the accents of x, y and z, "
(4)
— = w.
f
This equation gives C = ' vví//; but in thesmall term C we may
*/
replace w dt by wdz -r V: this comes to taking the approxi-
mate valué of z»given by the equation z = C+Vt instead of /
for the parameter of the system of surfaces formed by the wave's
front in its successive positions. Henee equation (1) becomes
z = C+Vt-tJLf \v dz.
v)
- Combining the valué of C just found with equations (2), we get,
to a first approximation,
7t I dw 1 'dw
(5)
Additional Note
[In what precedes waves of light are alone considered, and the
course of a ray is not-investigated, the investigaron not being
required. Therc follows iri the original paper an investigaron
having for object to shew that in the case of a body like the moon
or a planet vvhich is itself in motion, the effect of the distortion of
the waves in the neighbourhood of the body in altering the apparent
place of the body as determined by observation is insensible. For
this, the orthogonal trajectory of the wave in its successive positions
from the body to the observer is considered, a trajectory which in
its main part will be a straight line, from which it will not differ
except in the immediate neighbourhood of the body and of the
earth, where the ether is distorted by their respective motions.
The perpendicular distance of the further exíremity of the trajectory
from the prolongation of the straight line which jt forms in the
intervening quiescent ether is shewn to subtend at the earth an
angle which, though not actually O, is so small that it may be dis-
regarded. . « * • -
The orthogonal trajectory of a wave in its successive positions
does not however represent the course of a,ray, as it would do if
the ether were at rest. Some remarks made by Professor Challis
in the course of discussion suggested to me the examination of
the path of a ray, which in the case in which udx + vdy-\~ wdz is an
exact difTerential proved to be a straight line, a result which I had
not foreseen when I wrote the above paper, which I may mention
was read before the Cambridge Philosophical Society on the ISth
of May, 1845 (see Philosophical Magazine, vol. xxix, p. 62). The
rectilinearity of the path of a ray in this case, though not expressly
mentioned by Professor Challis, is virtually contained in what he
142 NINETCENTH-CENTURY AETHER THEOR1ES
«,=«'+£, /».=/*'+•£.
s • i
Let us now trace the.changes of a,, fl, during the time dt. These
depend first on the changes of a', /?', and secón el ly on those of
w, v.
As regards the change in the direction of the wave-normal, \ve
notice that the seat of a small element of the wave in its successive
positions is in a succession of planes of particles nearly parallel
•
to the plañe of x, y. Consequently the direction of the element
of the wave will be altered during the time di by the motion of the
ether as much as a plañe of particles of the ether parallel to the
plañe of the wave, or, which is the same to the order of small
quantities retained, parallel to the plañe xy. Now if we consider
a particle of ether at the time / having for co-ordinates x, y. r,
another at a distance dx parallel to the axis of A% and a third at a
distance dy parallel to the axis of v, we see that the displacements
of these three particles parallel to the axis of z during the time dt
will be
j
wdl, , dt,
{w +, -r- dx] j [w+-rdyj \ dt\
j
We have seen already that the changes of //, r are du/dz. V dt,
dv/dz. Vdi, so that -
_ l^u dw\ _ (du dw\
' \dz dx) ' \dz dy]