Polarisation of electromagnetic waves in four-dimensional Euclidean space

Polarisation analysis of an electromagnetic wave is accomplished in a four-dimensional Euclidean space of the wave´s amplitudes. Evolution of the amplitudes is represented by the motion over the surface of a three-dimensional S/sup /spl delta// sphere. It is shown that the commonly used three-dimensional space of the Stokes parameters, as well as the corresponding S/sup /spl delta// Poincare sphere, are particular mappings of the four-dimensional space onto the three-dimensional one. Some properties of electromagnetic wave evolution in four-dimensional space are discussed.