An electromagnetic analog of gravitational wave memory

TL;DR

This paper explores an electromagnetic analog to gravitational wave memory, demonstrating how electromagnetic waves induce a residual velocity or 'kick' in charges, analogous to gravitational wave effects.

Contribution

It introduces a novel electromagnetic analog of gravitational wave memory, identifying two types of electromagnetic kicks similar to gravitational wave memory types.

Findings

Electromagnetic waves cause a residual velocity in charges.

Two types of electromagnetic kicks are identified, analogous to gravitational wave memory.

The study establishes a new analogy between electromagnetic and gravitational wave phenomena.

Abstract

We present an electromagnetic analog of gravitational wave memory. That is, we consider what change has occurred to a detector of electromagnetic radiation after the wave has passed. Rather than a distortion in the detector, as occurs in the gravitational wave case, we find a residual velocity (a "kick") to the charges in the detector. In analogy with the two types of gravitational wave memory ("ordinary" and "nonlinear") we find two types of electromagnetic kick.