An efficient approach for evaluating Sommerfeld integrals encountered in the problem of a current element radiating over lossy ground

Efficient numerical evaluation of the Sommerfeld integrals, arising from the problem of a current element radiating over a lossy half-space, is considered. An integration technique based on the method of steepest descent is investigated. The details for computing possible pole and branch cut contributions resulting from the deformation of the path of integration are presented. A computer program for evaluating Sommerfeld integrals is developed on the analysis presented. Numerical results and estimates of computational efficiency of the method are given and a comparison with other available works in the literature is included.