A retarded Green's function is a mathematical tool used to solve inhomogeneous differential equations, particularly in the context of electromagnetic fields generated by time-dependent sources. It accounts for the finite speed of light, meaning it only responds to sources that are present at earlier times, effectively capturing the causal relationships between fields and their sources. This function is crucial for understanding the behavior of charged particles in motion and their associated electromagnetic fields, especially when applying Liénard-Wiechert potentials.
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