Surface wave

His theory purported to explain every feature of the auditory sensation owing to these passive mechanical phenomena.

[2][3][4][5][6] The earth has one refractive index and the atmosphere has another, thus constituting an interface that supports the guided Zenneck wave's transmission.

[12] Within microwave field theory, the interface of a dielectric and conductor supports "surface wave transmission".

The wave propagates parallel to the interface and decays exponentially vertical to it, a property called evanescence.

This surface wave propagates parallel to the interface and decays exponentially vertical to it, a property known as evanescence.

Its electric field strength falls off at a rate of e-αd/√d in the direction of propagation along the interface due to two-dimensional geometrical field spreading at a rate of 1/√d, in combination with a frequency-dependent exponential attenuation (α), which is the terrestrial transmission line dissipation, where α depends on the medium’s conductivity.

Arising from original analysis by Arnold Sommerfeld and Jonathan Zenneck of the problem of wave propagation over a lossy earth, it exists as an exact solution to Maxwell's equations.

A diving grebe creates surface waves.
The E-field of a surface plasmon polariton at a silver–air interface, at a frequency corresponding to a free-space wavelength of 10μm. At this frequency, the silver behaves approximately as a perfect electric conductor , and the SPP is called a Sommerfeld–Zenneck wave, with almost the same wavelength as the free-space wavelength.