The birth of radiation

Abstract

The topology of electric field lines in electric dipole radiation of angular frequency changes during each cycle. From the beginning of each cycle to the time given by there is no reconnection of field lines. In the time interval to electric field lines separate from the charges on the dipole and close on themselves, but the closed loops eventually die away. For times to the closed loops do not fade away but fly off to infinity as radiation. This sequence is repeated twice per cycle, with field direction reversal in the second half-cycle.