Electromagnetic and Optical Pulse Propagation 2

Pulsed Electromagnetic and Optical Beam WaveFields in Temporally Dispersive Media.- Asymptotic Methods of Analysis using Advanced Saddle Point Techniques.- The Group Velocity Approximation.- Analysis of the Phase Function and Its Saddle Points.- Evolution of the Precursor Fields.- Evolution of the Signal.- Continuous Evolution of the Total Field.- Physical Interpretations of Dispersive Pulse Dynamics.- Applications.

Kurt Oughstun is a Professor of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science in the College of Engineering & Mathematics at the University of Vermont where he was University Scholar in the Basic and Applied Sciences. A graduate of The Institute of Optics at the University of Rochester, he is a Fellow of the Optical Society of America, a member of the European Optical Society and a member of the United States National Committee of the International Union of Radio Science. His research centers on electromagnetic and optical wave theory, asymptotic methods of analysis, and computational techniques. He has published extensively on his research in these areas in such journals as the Journal of the Optical Society of America A & B, Journal of the European Optical Society A, Physical Review A & E, Physical Review Letters, IEEE Proceedings, and Radio Science.

From the reviews:

"This book is the second volume of a two-volume set on Electromagnetic and Optical Pulse Propagation, authored by Prof. Oughstun. It presents a systematic treatment of the radiation and propagation of transient electromagnetic and optical wave fields. ... Electromagnetic and Optical Pulse Propagation is a very impressive book. It is highly recommended for graduate students, researchers, physicists, and engineers who are working in the field of electromagnetic wave propagation, antennas, microwaves, photonics, and optoelectronics." (René Marklein, Radio Science Bulletin, Issue 333, June, 2010)

"These volumes are a veritable tour de force of optics writing. The topic they cover is one of immense importance, and the treatment it is accorded by this single author is both rigorous and comprehensive. The author's dedication in marshalling more than 1,200 pages of material is to be lauded. The work is a graduate-level text, and its contents will meet the requirements of a broad spectrum of scientists and engineers who require access to the methodologies underpinning pulse propagation. Both volumes include exercises that should ensure that the reader can test their understanding of the material presented. One minor difference between the volumes is the use of different paper finish for the production: acid-free matte for volume 1 and glossy for volume 2. No obvious reason accounts for this distinciton. There is the isolated misprint in the books, but overall the quality of production and presentation is very high. Having a mathematical pedigree, this reviewer was particularly drawn to the expositions of asymptotic approximations presented in volume 2, where potentially challenging techniques are carefully derived and illustrated with well-chosen figures. The wise use of dedicated chapters and sections to highlight particular approaches is strongly conducive to learning the chosen techniques. However, these volumes do not present