The handling of topological aspects in boundary value problems of engineering electromagnetics is often considered to be an engineer's art and not a science. This thesis is an attempt to show that the opposite is true. Through the use of differential forms and rudimentary concepts from homology theory a paradigm variational boundary value problem is formulated and investigated. It is seen that reasoning in terms of the Tonti diagram for this problem may lead to false conclusions if cohomology groups are ignored. As a prelude to this investigation, a suitable orthogonal decomposition of differential forms is derived and the roles played by the long exact homology sequence and topological duality theorems for compact orientable manifolds with boundary are considered in detail.

Typescript (photocopy) / xii, 107 leaves, [11] leaves of plates : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Dept. of Agricultural Science, University of Adelaide, 1982

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 48-49).

Thesis (Ph.D.) - Department of Agricultural Science, University of Adelaide, 1982. / Typescript (photocopy).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2008. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (B.S.)--Baylor University, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 42-44).

Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Glasgow, 2008. / Ph.D. thesis submitted to the Faculty of Information and Mathematical Sciences, University of Glasgow, 2008. Includes bibliographical references. Print version also available.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1997. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [52]-53).

Thesis--Bonn. / Added t.p. with thesis statement. Summary in English. Includes bibliographical references (p. 47).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 96-111).