English: Represented in the illustration a circularly polarized electromagnetic plane wave. The varying direction of the electric field along the axis of propagation is represented by the red helix. Each blue vector, indicating the perpendicular displacement from a point on the axis out to the helix, represents the magnitude and direction of the electric field for an entire plane perpendicular to the axis. Notice that the strength of the electric field is constant while only its direction steadily changes. Along the axis is a series of smaller blue vectors which also represent the magnitude and direction of the electric field along the axis. These small blue vectors are extrapolated out into the block of black vectors which fill a volume of space. Note that for a given plane, the vectors are identical, indicating that the magnitude and direction of the electric field is constant along that plane.

Not indicated in the illustration is the electric field’s corresponding magnetic field which is proportional in magnitude to the electric field but at a right angle to it. An illustration of that magnetic field would be virtually identical to this one except for a 90 degree rotation of the vectors around the axis of propagation.

There exists a linearly polarized version of this image.

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This image was created using the open source program Inkscape. If you open it using that program the image will still be divided into layers and you will have access to information used to create it. If you need to alter it I would suggest first going to my Wikimedia User page at Dave3457 where information is gathered and other related images are listed.

polarisation