RETARDED POTENTIAL

1
 RETARDED POTENTIAL
• The retarded (delay) potentials  or (Time Varying Potential) are the
electromagnetic potentials for the electromagnetic field generated by time-
varying electric current or charge distributions in the past.
• The current carrying conductor consists of number of current elements
connected in series.
 Effect of current flow due to all current elements cannot be realized at the same time at
a distance point ‘P’ because they travel at different varying distances.
 But it can be realized after a time interval equal to the time needed for the disturbance
to propagate over the distance ‘r’. due to this a retardation concept is involved.

2
Let I = Im sin t
I = Instantaneous current (or) I at any instant of time.
Im = maximum current

• Retardation (delay) is the current effective in producing a field at an earlier

time from the given current element.
• It can be written as

• R = , distance between the source point and the observation point

• T - Retarded time

3
 Retarded vector potential (magnetic) is,

μ= = velocity of wave propagation,

R  magnitude of distance travelled source and reference ;
[J]  retarded current (x,y,z,t’)

4
R  distance travelled ; [I]  retarded current
 Retarded vector potential is,

since , μ = = velocity of wave propagation,

In general,
For sinusoidal current element the retarded vector potential is,

5
dv = ds.dl (surface with line)
and J.ds = I

Scalar potential in the form of r retarded scalar potential (Electrical)

Where [] = = Retarded charge density.

6
• scalar potential
• vector potential