Classical Electrodynamics – John David Jackson – 1st Edition

Classical electromagnetic theory, together with classical and quantum mechanics, forms the core of present-day theoretical training for undergaduate and graduate physicist. A thorough grounding in these subjects is a requirement for more advanced and specialized training.

Typically the undergraduate program in electricity and magnetism involves two or, perhaps, three semesters beyond elementary physics, with the emphasis on the fundamental laws, laboratory verification and elaboration of their consequences, circuit analysis, simple wave phenomena, and radiation. The mathematical tools utilized include vector calculus, ordinary differential equations with constant coefficients, Fourier series, and perhaps Fourier or Laplace transforms, partial differential equations, Legendre polynomials, and Bessel functions.

The first aim of this book is to present the basic subject matter as a coherent whole, with emphasis on the unity of electric and magnetic phenomena, both in their physical basis and in the mode of mathematical description. The second, concurrent aim is to develop and utilize a number of topics in mathematical physics which are useful in both electromagnetic theory and wave mechanics. These include Green’s theorems and Green’s functions, orthonormal expansions, spherical harmonics, cylindrical and spherical Bessel functions.