Cecil Moore wrote:

[snip]

Some people on this newsgroup say that the wave reflection
model is invalid, that forward and reflected waves don't
have a separate existence. From QEX: "Contrary to popular
views, the forward and reverse waves on a transmission line
are not separate fields." It would follow that a laser beam
normally incident upon an ideal mirror results in a beam of
light not superposed from separate forward and reverse fields.

I have challenged people holding those concepts to create a
standing wave without superposing separate forward and
reverse waves and have gotten zero responses.

Cecil,

I believe Dan has addressed this issue, and I am sure that I have on
many occasions.

When superposition applies, as it does in this linear, non-pathological
case, there is no difference between the reality of the components vs.
the reality of the sum. In other words, there is no more information
from your separation of a standing wave into forward and reverse
components than there is in the standing wave itself.

The standing wave is a perfectly good and complete solution to the wave
equations applicable to this steady-state problem. It is possible to
sub-divide in many ways, but there is no new information in doing so.

If you want to specifically address transients then another set of
equations will be needed.


ad hominem

You have railed against seduction by math models on many occasions.
However, that is exactly what you are doing here. Trying to create some
new physical reality by manipulating the numbers.

/ad hominem

73,
Gene
W4SZ