A study has revealed that the Great Pyramid of Giza can collect and concentrate electromagnetic energy. The results are a first step toward the further investigation of the Great Pyramid’s electromagnetic properties, said researchers.

To investigate the resonant response of the Great Pyramid when it interacts with external electromagnetic waves, researchers from ITMO University and the Laser Zentrum Hannover used numerical modeling and analytical methods of physics. First, they estimated that resonances in the pyramid could be induced by radio waves with a length ranging from 200 to 600 m. Then, they modeled the resonant electromagnetic response of the pyramid and calculated the extinction cross section. This value allowed them to estimate which part of the incident wave energy can be scattered or absorbed by the pyramid under resonant conditions. Finally, for the same conditions, the scientists obtained the electromagnetic field’s distribution inside the pyramid.

Because there is little information available about the physical properties of the pyramid, researchers said they had to make some assumptions.

“For example, we assumed that there are no unknown cavities inside, and the building material with the properties of an ordinary limestone is evenly distributed in and out of the pyramid. With these assumptions made, we obtained interesting results that can find important practical applications,” said researcher Andrey Evlyukhin.

The team’s calculations showed that in the resonant state the pyramid can concentrate electromagnetic energy in its internal chambers as well as under its base, where the third unfinished chamber is located.

To explain these results, researchers conducted a multipole analysis — a method that is used in physics to study the interaction between a complex object and electromagnetic field. By knowing the type of each multipole, it is possible to predict and explain the distribution and configuration of the scattered fields in the whole system.

The Great Pyramid attracted the researchers while they were studying the interaction between light and dielectric nanoparticles. The scattering of light by nanoparticles depends on their size, shape, and the refractive index of the source material. By varying these parameters, it is possible to determine the resonance scattering regimes and use them to develop devices for controlling light at the nanoscale.

The team will apply the theoretical results of its research into the Great Pyramid to designing nanoparticles that can reproduce similar effects in the optical range.

“Choosing a material with suitable electromagnetic properties, we can obtain pyramidal nanoparticles with a promise for practical application in nanosensors and effective solar cells,” said researcher Polina Kapitainova.

The research was published in the Journal of Applied Physics (doi: 10.1063/1.5026556).