Reciprocity, Spatial Mapping and Time Reversal in Electromagnetics

In this review of Reciprocity, Spatial Mapping and Time Reversal in Electromagnetics the reviewer finds a dense, scholarly second edition that will most benefit researchers and graduate students working in electromagnetic theory and wave scattering. The book traces original developments from the 1970s and brings them up to date with previously unpublished material, and the single biggest reason to read it is its detailed exposition of reciprocity and scattering theorems grounded in the authors' original work. This review highlights who gains most from the text and what limitations to expect.

Key Features

• Historical tracing: Offers a careful historical account of developments from the 1970s, which helps readers place modern results in context.
• Updated material: Includes new and previously unpublished material that extends the original work for contemporary readers.
• Scattering theorem focus: Explains how adjoint wave fields and transposed constitutive tensors yield useful reciprocity relations for scattering matrices.
• Technical depth: Presents detailed derivations connecting eigenmode amplitudes and mean Poynting flux densities, useful for advanced study.
• Specialized examples: Uses computed reflection and transmission matrices for plane-stratified magnetoplasmas to demonstrate symmetry findings.

Who It's For

The book is aimed at researchers, practicing physicists and advanced graduate students interested in electromagnetic reciprocity, time reversal and the mathematical structure of scattering problems. Those working on wave propagation in magnetoplasmas or layered media will find concrete worked examples and theoretical insights directly relevant.

Readers looking for an introductory textbook or a broad survey of electromagnetics without substantial mathematical detail should look elsewhere; this edition assumes comfort with field theory, constitutive tensors and matrix-based scattering descriptions.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Deep historical and technical coverage makes it valuable as a reference for specialists.
• New and unpublished material refreshes classic results for modern applications.
• Concrete examples with computed reflection and transmission matrices illustrate abstract theorems.

Cons

• The text is narrowly focused and mathematically intensive, limiting accessibility to non-specialists.

Specifications

Title	Reciprocity, Spatial Mapping and Time Reversal in Electromagnetics
Edition	Second edition
Authors	C. Altman, K. Suchy
Primary topics	Reciprocity, time reversal, scattering theorems
Example systems	Plane-stratified magnetoplasmas, reflection and transmission matrices
Approach	Theoretical derivations with unpublished extensions to original work

Our Verdict

This second edition is recommended for specialists who need a rigorous, historically grounded treatment of reciprocity in electromagnetics. Its new material and worked examples make it good value as a research reference, while readers seeking a gentle introduction should consider more elementary texts first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this edition include new material?
Yes, the second edition contains new and previously unpublished material that updates the original developments for modern readers.

Is the book suitable for beginners?
Not really; the book assumes familiarity with field theory, constitutive tensors and matrix scattering methods.

Are there practical examples?
Yes, the authors use computed reflection and transmission matrices for plane-stratified magnetoplasmas as concrete demonstrations.