Current Distribution in a Rectangular Conductor

The extensive use of rectangular conductors for large alternating their electrical characteristics a problem of practical importance. Although these conductors are usually used in groups and in special configurations, no solution other than that of direct measurement has been given even for the basic problem of the distribution of current in a single isolated conductor. The mechanical complications of the direct measurement method are great, and the results obtained are necessarily an approximation. This paper presents a method by which the current density inside a rectangular section may be analytically determined if the surface current density, a comparatively easy quantity to determine, is known.