Positive-, negative-, and orthogonal-phase-velocity propagation of electromagnetic plane waves in a simply moving medium

Abstract

Planewave propagation in a simply moving, dielectric-magnetic medium that is isotropic in the co-moving reference frame, is classified into three different categories: positive-, negative-, and orthogonal-phase-velocity (PPV, NPV, and OPV). Calculations from the perspective of an observer located in a non-co-moving reference frame show that, whether the nature of planewave propagation is PPV or NPV (or OPV in the case of non-dissipative mediums) depends strongly upon the magnitude and direction of that observer's velocity relative to the medium. PPV propagation is characterized by a positive real wavenumber, NPV propagation by a negative real wavenumber. OPV propagation only occurs for non-dissipative mediums, but weakly dissipative mediums can support nearly OPV propagation.