Electnic/magnetic reciprocity in premetric electrodynamics with and without magnetic charge, and the complex electromagnetic field

摘要

We extend an axiomatic approach to classical electrodynamics, which we developed recently, to the case of nonvanishing magnetic charge. Then two axioms, namely those of the existence of the Lorentz force (Axiom 2) and of magnetic flux conservation (Axiom 3) have to be generalized. Electric/magnetic reciprocity constitutes a guiding principle for this undertaking. The extension of the axioms can be implemented at a premetric stage, i.e., when metric and connection of spacetime do not play a role. Complex Riemann-Silberstein fields of the form (E +/- iH, D +/- iB) have a natural place in the theory, independent of the Hodge duality mapping defined by any particular metric. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. [References: 30]