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Electric fields generate magnetic fields and visa/versa,and this is attributed to be how a light ray self propagates. Can anyone further clarify how exactly light rays self propagate? If the mechanism is comprised of these two components, wouldn't the machanism have to be instantanious given the frequency of the wave is so high? /visible light is the portion of the EM spectrum of interest/ Aside from the above citation of the fields generatating each other, both components would have to be present at the photon's emission unless one comes first and generates the other, in which case the components would be out of phase ? Can anyone shed some light for me please.

RaSullivan
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  • That an electric field generates a magnetic field and vice versa is a misconception that stems from the way we teach electromagnetism in high school. Because we can't teach relativity, yet, and we want to start with static fields to make it easer for students to learn the phenomenology of charges and magnets, we separate the electric and the magnetic component. In reality, though, the two form an inseparable physical entity. There is only one field and it contains both electric and magnetic components at all times. Photons, OTOH, are not objects but properties of the quantized em field. – CuriousOne Jun 08 '16 at 01:39
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    What about my question? – RaSullivan Jun 08 '16 at 01:42
  • Your question assumes that the two field components exist independently, and that's just not the case. There is one field (actually it's a bunch of coupled quantum fields that also include massive states like electrons, but that is a different story) and what it looks like (in terms of electric and magnetic components) is observer dependent. That field obeys an equation that can describe wave-like solutions which are a perfect description of light and all other electromagnetic waves, as far as we know. – CuriousOne Jun 08 '16 at 01:52
  • I should assume both are present at the emission. – philip_0008 Jun 08 '16 at 01:52
  • My question is about self propagation mechanism. With all that knowledge out there I know someone can help! – RaSullivan Jun 08 '16 at 02:00
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    @curiousone...I am appreciative of your knowledge base and willingness to share openly and unbiased. If you could focus on the question I'm sure you could help me. – RaSullivan Jun 08 '16 at 02:03
  • @Phillip 0008I think so also and as curiousone has pointed out they are concurrent and inseparable – RaSullivan Jun 08 '16 at 02:05
  • For clarification of what are photons, what are EM radiation and light see this answer – HolgerFiedler Jun 08 '16 at 03:51

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