Momentum of the Electromagnetic Field in Transparent Dielectric Media

TL;DR

This paper argues that the electromagnetic momentum in transparent dielectrics is the average of Minkowski and Abraham momenta, supported by Lorentz transformations and analysis of static fields, with the static field momentum being Minkowski.

Contribution

It introduces a new perspective that the electromagnetic momentum in dielectrics is the average of Minkowski and Abraham momenta, supported by Lorentz transformation analysis.

Findings

The electromagnetic momentum in dielectrics is the average of Minkowski and Abraham momenta.

Static electromagnetic fields in dielectrics have Minkowski momentum.

The Poynting vector's relation to momentum density extends to zero frequency.

Abstract

We present arguments in favor of the proposition that the momentum of light inside a transparent dielectric medium is the arithmetic average of the Minkowski and Abraham momenta. Using the Lorentz transformation of the fields (and of the coordinates) from a stationary to a moving reference frame, we show the consistent transformation of electromagnetic energy and momentum between the two frames. We also examine the momentum of static (i.e., time-independent) electromagnetic fields, and show that the close connection that exists between the Poynting vector and the momentum density extends all the way across the frequency spectrum to this zero-frequency limit. In the specific example presented in this paper, the static field inside a non-absorbing dielectric material turns out to have the Minkowski momentum.