how to visualise the propagation of light in 3D?

Question

that is i want to know how the electric and magnetic components of light propagate(not only from from a point source but also from some other sources like electric bulb,tubelight etc.

Answer 1

Heres a great Java applet that does it...one of my favorites. try the double slit sources and note the interference pattern! Grab and click with the left mouse button to rotate the cube in 3D.

I forgot to add that site has lots of other great apps that do 3d modeling...like magnetic field modeling and such...

Answer 2

Filament propagation
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In nonlinear optics, filament propagation is propagation of a beam of light through a medium without diffraction. This is possible because the Kerr effect causes an index of refraction change in the medium, resulting in self-focusing of the beam.

Filament propagation of laser pulses in the atmosphere was observed in 1994 by Gérard Mourou and his team at University of Michigan. The balance between the self-focusing refraction and self-attenuating diffraction by ionization and rarefaction of a laser beam of terawatt intensities, created by chirped pulse amplification, in the atmosphere creates "filaments" which act as waveguides for the beam thus preventing divergence. If a light filament drops below the intensity needed for this dynamic balance, called modulation instability, it can merge with another filament and continue propagating without broadening as with all earlier means of sending light. The filaments, having made a plasma, turn the narrowband laser pulse into a broadband pulse having a wholly new set of applications.

Filament propagation in a semiconductor medium can also be observed in large aperture vertical cavity surface emitting lasers.

AND:

Filamentation and Propagation of Ultra-Short, Intense Laser Pulses in Air
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A.C. Ting, D.F. Gordon, R.F. Hubbard, J.R. Peñano, and P. Sprangle - Plasma Physics Division

C.K. Manka RSI, Inc.

ltra-short (femtosecond), high-power laser pulses can exceed the threshold for nonlinear self-focusing in air. This results in an extended propagation from the dynamical balance between the plasma formation and the nonlinear focusing. Experiments were performed using the chirped-pulse-amplification (CPA) lasers in the Plasma Physics Division to study the physics of extended propagation in air and its effects on atmospheric breakdown, laser-induced electrical discharge, and chemical/biological (chem/bio) agent detection. Self-guiding of the laser beams for extended distances and formation of multiple laser and plasma filaments were observed. Time-resolved images of laser-induced electrical discharges showed the initiation and sustention of the discharges by the plasma filaments. Measured optical spectra of the white light generated in the laser propagation revealed the presence of molecular plasmas that are useful for identifying chem/bio agents. Potential applications include directed energy weapons, remote sensing for both chem/bio defense, and environmental air pollutant monitoring.

Answer 3

It travels in a straight line from its source (at the speed of light obviously) unless something bends it.