From: utzoo!decvax!duke!harpo!ihnp4!houxz!hocsb!hocsf!hocsd!jis
Newsgroups: net.physics,net.ham-radio,net.followup
Title: Re: faster than light
Article-I.D.: hocsd.124
Posted: Fri Jan 14 14:46:06 1983
Received: Thu Jan 20 03:58:14 1983

Although the phase velocity of an elctromagnetic disturbance can be greater
than the speed of light in dispersive media, it strikes me as improper or
misleading to claim that an "electric signal" can travel faster than light.
The concept of a signal is intimately related to communication, and a
"electric signal" travelling at the phase velocity (whatever that might mean)
cannot be used to relly send a "signal" (as is normally connoted by the word)
to anyone at a velocity greater than that of light.

Jishnu Mukerji
ABI Holmdel 1B-425
{vax135, harpo, allegra}!hocsd!jis