Wireless Antennæ

Abstract

PROF. FLEMING, in a recent letter to a contemporary journal, has made a suggestion similar to that of Mr. A. Lander, in NATURE of July 3 (p. 451), to the effect that the space wave in wireless telegraphy is supplemented by some effect which travels through the earth. Indeed, it would appear natural to expect that, in addition to the electric disturbance which must travel outwards in all directions over the conducting surface of the earth when the electrical potential at any point on this surface is disturbed, the passage of the electromagnetic waves through the air above the earth's surface should be accompanied by some form of electrical disturbance along the conducting earth's surface beneath them. This is, however, a subject that, so far as I am aware, has not yet been tackled by mathematical physicists, and I would point out that it is well worth their attention.