In chapter 30 in various places including figure 30.8(b) on page 786 as well as figure 30.10(c) on page 788, et cetera, there are I'itoi diagrams (also known as spider diagrams) depicting the electric field of a moving particle. These diagrams are highly misleading.
In such diagrams, the outer region is OK and the innermost part of the inner region is OK ... but things deteriorate rapidly from there. The objective of such diagrams -- and the associated text -- is to explain radiation in terms of Coulomb's law. Alas this objective is conceptually, qualitatively, and quantitatively wrong. There is a completely different Maxwell equation that needs to be invoked. Numerous additional bugs and symptoms are enumerated at:
https://www.av8n.com/physics/lienard-wiechert.htm#sec-bogus
Nowadays almost every introductory textbook pulls the same stunt, but that doesn't make it right.
Semi-constructive suggestions:
Fix the inner region. The light-cone should be centered on the final position of the source.
In the diagram, somehow censor the transition region, to indicate that the diagram does not apply in this region.
In the text, explicitly disclaim this approach to explaining the radiation field.
In chapter 30 in various places including figure 30.8(b) on page 786 as well as figure 30.10(c) on page 788, et cetera, there are I'itoi diagrams (also known as spider diagrams) depicting the electric field of a moving particle. These diagrams are highly misleading.
In such diagrams, the outer region is OK and the innermost part of the inner region is OK ... but things deteriorate rapidly from there. The objective of such diagrams -- and the associated text -- is to explain radiation in terms of Coulomb's law. Alas this objective is conceptually, qualitatively, and quantitatively wrong. There is a completely different Maxwell equation that needs to be invoked. Numerous additional bugs and symptoms are enumerated at: https://www.av8n.com/physics/lienard-wiechert.htm#sec-bogus
Nowadays almost every introductory textbook pulls the same stunt, but that doesn't make it right.
Semi-constructive suggestions: