Electromagnetic Analogues in Rotating Reference Frames

Abstract

In the absence of a physical force, the equation of motion of a particle of mass m at position r and moving with constant velocity v in a non-inertial reference frame rotating with angular velocity w can be expressed in terms of analogue electric E and magnetic H fields and is known to assume the form E + v x H of the Lorentz force equation of electromagnetic theory. In this paper, the associated analogue E and H fields are formally shown to satisfy the analogues of both Gauss's law for magnetic fields and Faraday's law of Maxwell's equations. These E and H fields are also used in Gauss's law for electric fields and Ampere's law to define rotating reference frame analogues of electromagnetic charge density and current density. Interpretations of the possible significance of these new analogues are provided and the relationship of Faraday's law to the work required to move a particle in a rotating frame is discussed.