In optics, the Ewald-Oseen extinction theorem underlies the field's standard understanding of how light scatters, refracts, reflects and diffracts when it meets matter. It's named for Paul Peter Ewald and Carl Wilhelm Oseen, who proved versions of the theorem for crystalline and isotropic media respectively, in 1916 and 1915. The theorem originally covered scattering by isotropic dielectric objects in free space, and its scope has since been extended to a much wider range of bianisotropic media.
Facts
StatementIn optics, a theorem that underlies the common understanding of scattering, refraction, reflection and diffraction. Originally it applied to scattering by isotropic dielectric objects in free space, and its scope was later extended to a wide variety of bianisotropic media. 1 Partially Attested
Proof YearOseen proved the theorem for isotropic media in 1915 and Ewald for crystalline media in 1916; the earlier year is given. Classification
Statement FormCharacterization Theorem 1 Connections
Has Statement Form
Entity-backed identity for the statement-form enum value this theorem already carries, resolved to a mathematics concept by an explicit value-to-entity map (phase 3 bucket conversion, docs\design_entity_backed_browse_buckets_20260928.md). The statement-form fact itself stays on the theorem unchanged.
Sources
1. Ewald-Oseen extinction theorem, Wikipedia
Lead paragraph, first sentence
is a theorem that underlies the common understanding of scattering (as well as refraction, reflection, and diffraction).
Lead paragraph, second sentence
It is named after Paul Peter Ewald and Carl Wilhelm Oseen, who proved the theorem in crystalline and isotropic media, respectively, in 1916 and 1915.
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