Traveling Waves on Transmission Systems

The purpose of this paper is two-fold: First; to present the theory of traveling waves on multi-conductor systems, and second, to compile a brief compendium on the general subject of traveling waves on transmission systems. While the application of the multi-conductor theory is more laborious than that of the single-wire theory, yet it does not involve much greater complication, and it becomes necessary to go to the more general theory when mutual effects are important, as in the study of ground wires, or when discontinuities exist in paralleled circuits carrying traveling waves. The origin, shape, and general characteristics of traveling waves are discussed. The equivalent circuits of terminal equipment and the corresponding reflections and refractions from such junctions are given for a large number of cases. The methods of computing a multiplicity of successive reflections by means of lattices are described. The effect of line losses in equalizing the subsidence of traveling waves and on their attenuation and distortion is also discussed.