INTERACTION FORCES OF DIELECTRIC CYLINDERS IN ELECTRIC-FIELDS

The electric field configuration and forces in a dielectric system of two long circular cylindrical bodies is studied in detail. The cylinde rs are parallel to each other and situated in a uniform transverse ele ctric field. The cylinder bodies and surrounding medium have arbitrary and different permittivities. The origin of the forces in the piecewi se-homogeneous material under study is polarization in the dielectrics . The local forces on the surfaces of the cylinders are examined. It i s shown that the cylinders exert forces on each other. The total force s and torques depend on the dielectric materials, the geometric parame ters of the system, and the orientation of the applied electric field. Under these conditions the problem has a complete analytic solution.