The Brody effect revisited

This paper reexamines the Brody effect, both in the far-field and in the near-field approximation. It stresses the fact that near an inhomogeneity the Brody factor is not a constant but a function of space. A full documentation of this function for realistic values of the inhomogeneity as relevant to electrocardiography is included. The existence of a zone having "anomalous" Brody factors is demonstrated. Moreover, the importance for this problem of the zero reference point is stressed.