On the different forms of the Maxwell's electromagnetic equations in a uniform media

Abstract

Two known, alternative to each other, forms of the Maxwell's electromagnetic equations in a moving uniform media are investigated and discussed. Approach commonly used after Minkowski is based on the two tensors: H^{ab} = (D, H /c) and F^{ab} = (E, cB) which transform independently of each other at Lorentz transitions; relationships between fields change their form at Lorentz transformations and have the form of the Minkowski equations depending on the 4-velocity u^{a} of the moving media under an inertial reference frame. So, the electrodynamics by Minkowski implies the absolute nature of the mechanical motion. An alternative formalism (Rosen and others) may be developed in the new variables. This form of the the Maxwell's equations exhibits symmetry under modified Lorentz transformations in which everywhere instead of the vacuum speed of light c is used the speed of light in the media, kc . In virtue of this symmetry we might consider such a formulation of the Maxwell theory in the media as invariant under the mechanical motion of the reference frame.In connection with these two theoretical schemes, a point of principle must be stressed: it might seem well-taken the requirement to perform Poincare-Einstein clock synchronization in the uniform medias with the help of real light signals influenced by the media, which leads us to the modified Lorentz symmetry.